LIBRARY 

^  OF  THE 

Theological  Seminary, 

PRINCETON,  N.  J. 

r„  BX  8712    .T8  T78  1817 

Swedenborg,   Emanuel,  1688- 

Siu  1772. 

A  compendium  of  the  chief 

Bo      dnrtrinp<;    nf    ThpfniP  j 


■ 


A 

COMPENDIUM 

OF  THE 

CHIEF  DOCTRINES 

OF  THE 

TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION: 

AS   REVEALED   IN  THE   WHITINGS  OF 

EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG. 


If  any  Man  will  do  his  Wilt,  he  shall  know  of  the  Doctrine, 
whether  it  be  of  God.    John  vii.  17. 


BY  ROBERT  HINDMARSH, 

Author  of  "Remarks  on  the  Holy  League,  lately  entered  in- 
to by  the  Sovereigns  of  Austria,  Prussia,  and  Russia,"  "A  Seal 
upon  the  Lips  of  all  those,  who  refuse  to  acknowledge  the  ex- 
clusive Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,"  &c.  &c. 


TO   WHICH  ARE  ANNEXED, 

A  FEW  EXTRACTS 

FROM  E.  SWEDE JfB ORG'S  TREATISE 

ON  TOE 

UNIVERSAL  THEOLOGY  OF  THE  NEW  CHURCH 


PHILADELPHIA. 
PRINTED  FOR  WILLIAM  SCHLATTER 

LYUI A  R.  EAILET,  PRINTER. 


1817=61. 


PREFACE. 


THE  doctrines  of  the  New  and  True  Christian  Re- 
ligion having  been  published  in  a  great  variety  of  vo- 
luminous writings,  and  many  persons  having  express- 
ed a  desire  to  see  them  in  an  abridged  form,  not  only 
for  their  own  use,  but  for  the  benefit  of  others,  who 
may  be  disposed  to  peruse  a  small  Manual,  when  a 
larger  work  would  fail  to  engage  their  attention;  the 
Author  of  the  following  Compendium  has  endeavour- 
ed to  meet  this  wish  of  the  Public,  by  bringing  into  as 
compact  a  form  and  order,  as  the  nature  and  number 
of  the  subjects  treated  of  would  permit,  the  principal 
doctrines  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  And  as  the  senti- 
ments contained  in  it  do  not  originate  with  him,  but 
are  those  of  Divine  Revelation  itself,  laid  down  in  a 
clear  and  intelligible  manner,  he  feels  himself  at  li- 
berty to  recommend  it  as  a  work  proper  to  be  put  in- 
to the  hands  of  strangers,  or  of  such  as  are  desirous  of 
obtaining  a  general  knowledge  of  the  doctrines  pro- 
fessed by  the  members  of  the  New  Church. 

He  is  aware,  that  it  may  possibly  be  the  opinion  of 
some,  that  the  end  or  purpose  intended  is  already  an- 
swered by  a  publication  of  the  late  Hon.  Emanuel 
Swedenborg,  entitled,  A  Treatise  concerning  the 
New  Jerusalem,  and  it's  Heavenly  Doctrine,  particu- 
larly the  cheap  edition  without  the  Extracts  from  Ar- 
cana Caelestia.  But  when  it  is  considered,  that  the 
present  Compendium  embraces  not  only  the  substance 
of  that  most  useful  little  volume,  with  it's  many  refer- 
ences to  the  larger  work,  but  the  substance  also  of  the 
Treatises  concerning  the  Lord,  the  Sacred  Scripture, 


iv 


PREFACE. 


the  Doctrine  of  Life,  and  the  Doctrine  concerning 
Faith  ;  that  it  exhibits  likewise  a  concentrated  view 
of  the  chief  doctrines  so  amply  and  so  ably  explained 
in  the  great  work,  entitled,  True  Christian  Religion  ; 
and  that  many  leading  features  of  the  works  on  Di- 
vine Love  and  Divine  Wisdom,  the  Divine  Provi- 
dence, Heaven  and  Hell,  the  Intercourse  between  Soul 
and  Body,  the  Apocalypse  Revealed,  and  Apocalypse 
Explained,  the  Lust  Judgment,  the  Earths  in  the 
Universe,  and  even  the  Arcana  Ccelestia  itself,  with 
other  productions  of  the  same  distinguished  pen  as 
that  already  referred  to,  are  to  be  traced  in  the  fol- 
lowing pag-^s  ;  we  hope,  that  our  humble  efforts  to  con- 
vey to  the  reader,  from  the  stores  above  mentioned, 
much  useful  information  in  a  very  small  compass,  will 
not  prove  to  be  labour  entirely  lost,  but  will  be  ac- 
cepted by  him  as  a  testimony  of  our  desire  to  contri- 
bute to  the  real  welfare  of  society,  by  diffusing  among 
them,  according  to  our  ability,  the  knowledge  of  the 
One  True  God  Jesus  CHRisT.and  the  most  important 
doctrines  of  the  New  and  True  Christian  Religion. 

ROBERT  HINDMARSH. 


Salford,  Manchester, 
May  16,  1816=60. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 


I.  The  Being  and  Unity  of  God,      -    -  9 
II.  God  himself  the  primary  Substance 

and  Form,   ib. 

III.  The  Divine  Essence,  which  is  Divine 

Love  and  Divine  Wisdom,  -    -    -  10 

IV.  Creation,   11 

X.  The  State  of  Man  before  the  Fall,    -  13 

VI.  The  Origin  of  Evil,  and  the  Fall  of 

Man,   18 

VII.  The  State  of  Man  after  the  Fall,  -    -  21 
VIII.  Redemption  by  the  Assumption  of  Hu- 
manity,  -------- -23 

IX.  The  Glorification  of  the  Humanity,  -  29 

X.  The  Holy  Spirit,  or  Divine  Operation,  31 

XI.  The  Divine  Trinity,   34 

XII.  The  Lord,   36 

XIII.  The  Sacred  Scripture,  or  Word  of 

God,   41 

XIV.  The  Decalogue,  or  Ten  Command- 

ments,   44 

XV.  Good  and  Truth,   49 


XVI.  The  Will  and  the  Understanding,     -  51 
XVII.  The  Internal  and  the  External  Man,  52 
XVIII.  Love  in  general;  including  Love  to 
the  Lord,  and  Love  to  our  Neigh- 
bour ;  also  the  Love  of  Self,  and 


the  Love  of  the  World,    .    ...  54 

XIX.  Faith,   57 

XX.  Charity  and  Good  Works,      ...  62 

XXI.  Man  an  Organ  of  Life,      -    -    -    -  65 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

XXTI.  Free-Will,  68 

XXIII.  Repentance,    .......  -70 

XXIV.  Reformation  and  Regeneration,    -    -  72 
XXV.  Remission  of  Sins,    ------  74 

XXVI.  Temptations,  77 

XXVII.  Difficulty  of  Regeneration  gradually 

overcome,     -    --    --    --  -79 

XXVIII.  Conscience,  80 

XXIX.  Fiety,  82 

XXX.  Imputation,     -    --    --    --  -84 

XXXI.  Human  Merit,  86 

XXXII.  Baptism,  ib. 

XXXIII.  The  Holy  Supper,  89 

XXXIV.  Marriage,  92 

XXXV.  The  Church,  94 

XXXVI.  Death  and  Resurrection,    -    -    -    -  97 

XXXVII.  Heaven  and  Hell,  101 

XXXVIII.  The  Intermediate  State,  or  World  of 

Spirits,  -    --    --    --    --  106 

XXXIX.  The  State  of  Children  after  Death,  -  111 
XL.  The  Gentiles,  or  Heathens,  -  -  -  115 
XLI.  Divine  Providence,  -    -    -    -    -  -118 

XLII.  Miracles,  122 

XLIII.  Tlie  Laws  of  Divine  Order,  by  which 
all  the  Divine  Operations  are  con- 
ducted,   ---  126 

XLIV.  The  Divine  Science  of  Corresponden- 
ces, according  to  which  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  are  written  throughout,  131 
XLV.  The  last  Judgment,  the  Second  Ad- 
vent of  the  Lord,  and  the  New  Je- 
rusalem, -  136 

XLVI.  The  probable  State  of  the  World  and 

Church  hereafter,  -    -    -    -    -  -145 

XLVII.  Ecclesiastic  and  Civil  Government,  149 


CONTENTS.  Vli 

Page. 

XLVIII.  Plurality  of  Worlds,  153 

XLIX.  The  Reasons  why  the  Lord  was  pleas- 
ed to  be  born  on  our  Earth,  rather 
than  on  any  other,      -    -    -    -    -  160 
L.  Concluding  Reflections,     -    -    -    -  163 

Extracts  from  the  work  entitled,  u  True  Chris- 
tian Religion,  containing  the  Universal  Theo- 
logy of  the  New  Church,"  by  the  Hon.  Ema- 
nuel Swedenborg,  167 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

XXTI.  Free-Will,  68 

XXIII.  Repentance,     --------  70 

XXIV.  Reformation  and  Regeneration,    -    -  72 
XXV.  Remission  of  Sins,    ------  74 

XXVI.  Temptations,  77 

XXVII.  Difficulty  of  Regeneration  gradually 

overcome,     -    --    --    --  -79 

XXVIII.  Conscience,     -    -    -  80 

XXIX.  Piety,    -    -    -  82 

XXX.  Imputation,     -    --    --    --  -84 

XXXI.  Human  Merit,  86 

XXXII.  Baptism,  ib. 

XXXIII.  The  Holy  Supper,  89 

XXXIV.  Marriage,  92 

XXXV.  The  Church,  94 

XXXVI.  Death  and  Resurrection,    .    ...  97 

XXXVII.  Heaven  and  Hell,  101 

XXXVIII.  The  Intermediate  State,  or  World  of 

Spirits,  -    --    --    --    --  106 

XXXIX.  The  State  of  Children  after  Death,  -  111 
XL.  The  Gentiles,  or  Heathens,  -  -  -  115 
XLI.  Divine  Providence,  -    --    --  -118 

XLII.  Miracles,  122 

XLIII.  Tlie  Laws  of  Divine  Order,  by  which 
all  the  Divine  Operations  are  con- 
ducted,   -    -    -  126 

XLIV.  The  Divine  Science  of  Corresponden- 
ces, according  to  which  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  are  written  throughout,  131 
XLV.  The  last  Judgment,  the  Second  Ad- 
vent of  the  Lord,  and  the  New  Je- 
rusalem, ---------  136 

XLVI.  The  probable  State  of  the  World  and 

Church  hereafter,  -    -    -    -    -  -145 

XLVII.  Ecclesiastic  and  Civil  Government,  149 


CONTENTS.  Vli 

Page. 

XLVIII.  Plurality  of  Worlds,  153 

XLIX.  The  Reasons  why  the  Lord  was  pleas- 
ed to  be  born  on  our  Earth,  rather 
than  on  any  other,      -    -    -    -    -  160 
L.  Concluding  Reflections,     ...    -  16S 

Extracts  from  the  work  entitled,  "  True  Chris- 
tian Religion,  containing  the  Universal  Theo' 
logy  of  the  New  Church,"  by  the  Hon.  Ema- 
nuel Swedenborg,  167 


COMPENDIUM, 

&c.  &c. 


I.  The  Being  and  Unity  of  God. 

THERE  is  one  God,  the  Creator  of  all  worlds,  vi- 
sible and  invisible,  who  in  consideration  of  his  divine 
Esse,  which  is  the  original  source  and  incomprehensi- 
ble fountain  of  all  life  and  being,  is  called  I  Am  that 
I  Am,  or  Jehovah,  who  Is,  who  Was,  and  who  Is  To 
Be,  the  First  and  the  Last,  the  Beginning  and  the 
End,  the  Alpha  and  the  Omega,  the  All  and  In  All. 
The  being  and  unity  of  Jehovah  God  are  inculcated 
by  the  general  tenor  of  divine  revelation,  as  well  as  by 
many  express  declarations  ;  and  may  be  considered  as 
the  ground-work  or  foundation  of  all  religion.  It  is 
therefore  written,  "  Hear,  O  Israel,  Jehovah  our  God 
«  is  One  Jehovah,"  Deut.  vi.  4.  Mark  xii.  29.  "  Thus 
*<  saith  Jehovah  the  King  of  Israel,  I  am  the  first,  and 
"  I  am  the  last,  and  besides  me  there  is  no  God,'''  Isa. 
xliv.  6.  "  I  am  Jehovah  thy  God,  and  thou  shalt  know 
"  no  God  but  me."  Hos.  xiii.  4. 


H.  God  himself  the  primary  Substance  and  Form. 

THIS  one  God  is  the  real  and  primary  substance 
and  form,  from  whom  and  by  whom  all  created  sub- 
stances and  forms  were  produced  ;  it  being  impossible 
that  any  substance  whatever  could  have  risen  up  out 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


of  nothing.  All  things  that  exist  must,  therefore, 
have  been  produced  by  a  divine  power  from  an  origi- 
nal substance,  that  is,  from  God  himself,  yet  in  a  way, 
and  according  to  an  order,  that  preserves  the  most 
perfect  and  complete  distinction  between  the  Creator 
and  the  creature.  And  as  we  see,  that  all  created 
substances  and  forms  have,  either  directly  or  indirect- 
ly, some  respect  to  the  human  form ;  and  it  being  cer- 
tain, that  this  respect  must  ultimately  lead  and  point 
to  him,  from  whom  they  proceeded  ;  it  necessarily  fol- 
lows, that  God  is  in  such  original  and  primary  sub- 
stance and  form  a  Divine  Man,  in  whom  nevertheless 
all  things  are  infinite  and  eternal,  without  any  rela- 
tion either  to  space,  or  time,  or  matter,  being  prior  to 
and  far  above  them. 


III.  The  Divine  Essence,  which  is  Divine  Love  and 
Divine  Wisdom. 

AS  the  divine  Esse  of  Jehovah  God  is  in  itself 
infinitely  above  the  comprehension  of  any  finite  mind, 
and  cannot  become  the  proper  subject  of  either  human 
or  angelic  contemplation,  he  has  therefore  in  mercy 
been  pleased  so  to  accommodate  himself  to  the  capa- 
city of  his  intelligent  creatures,  as  to  exhibit  before 
them  the  most  evident  and  striking  marks  of  his  divine 
love  and  divine  wisdom,  which  constitute  his  essence. 
Some  faint  idea,  therefore,  may  be  formed  of  the  di- 
vine essence,  while  we  consider  it  as  the  complex  of 
all  the  divine  goods,  and  all  the  divine  truths,  which 
flow  from  the  great  fountain  of  life,  and  encircle  him 
as  a  sun  of  righteousness.  Thus  God  is  not  only  an 
incomprehensible  esse,  but  at  the  same  time  also  an 
essence  in  some  sort  comprehensible,  as  divine  love 
and  divine  wisdom,  divine  good  and  divine  truth,  in 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


11 


each  of  which  respects  he  is  truly  and  properly  life 
in  himself,  that  is,  life  independent  of  every  other 
source.  . 

Love  and  wisdom  in  God  are  essentially  one,  though 
capable  of  .being  distinguished  in  idea  the  one  from 
the  other.  And  it  being  a  property  of  the  divine  love, 
in  union  with  the  divine  wisdom,  to  love  others  out  of 
or  distinct  from  itself,  to  desire  conjunction  with 
others,  and  to  make  others  happy  from  itself,  it 
seems  highly  reasonable  to  believe,  that  tins  threefold 
tendency  of  the  divine  love  and  the  divine  wisdom 
was  the  cause  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  also 
still  is  the  cause  of  it's  preservation. 


IV.  Creation. 

AS  Jehovah  God,  by  virtue  of  his  divine  love,  had 
in  view  the  happiness  of  others  out  of  himself,  yet 
contiguous  to  himself;  so  by  virtue  of  his  divine  wis- 
dom, operating  according  to  the  laws  of  his  own  or- 
der, he  produced  from  himself,  and  not  out  of  no- 
thing, as  many  have  supposed,  substances  and  forms, 
both  spiritual  and  natural,  in  indefinite  variety,  and 
at  length  human  forms  capable  of  receiving  and  per- 
ceiving in  themselves  his  divine  love  and  wisdom. 
These  human  forms  were  therefore  created  to  be 
•images  and  likenesses  of  him,  from  whom  they  were 
produced,  and  by  whose  power  they  were  brought 
into  existence.  On  which  account  it  is  written,  «  In 
"  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  (the  Divine  Wisdom,) 
"  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  God  was  the 
«  Word.  All  things  were  made  by  him  ;  and  without 
"  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made,"  John, 
j.  1,3.  And  again,  "  God  said,  Let  us  make  man  in 
"  our  image,  after  our  likeness.    So  God  created  man 


A  80MPENDIUM  OF  THE 


"  in  his  own  image,  in  the  image  of  God  created  be 
"  him,"  Gen.  i.  26,  27. 

From  this  general  view  of  the  nature  and  design  of 
creation,  may  be  inferred  the  following  particulars, 
relative  to  the  order  of  it's  progression  from  first  prin- 
ciples to  ultimate  effects,  viz.  1.  That  from  Jehovah 
God  there  emanated,  and  still  emanates,  a  sphere  of 
divine  glory,  which  encircles  him  on  every  side,  and 
constitutes  the  sun  of  the  spiritual  world.  2.  That 
through  the  instrumentality  of  this  sun,  which  in  it's 
essence  is  pure  love,  and  gives  forth  spiritual  heat 
and  spiritual  light,  in  other  words,  love  and  wisdom, 
to  minds  capable  of  receiving  them,  three  spiritual  at- 
mospheres, of  different  purity  and  activity,  were  pro- 
duced, giving  birth  to  all  things  in  that  world ;  and 
that  the  sun  of  the  natural  world,  which  is  pure  fire, 
was  in  like  manner  produced,  together  with  three  na- 
tural atmospheres,  and  all  earths  which  exist  by  their 
means.  3.  That  thus  all  things  were  produced,  not 
out  of  nothing,  but  from  the  divine  love  by  means  of 
the  divine  wisdom,  which  are  indeed  the  substance  of 
all  substances.  4.  That  every  created  subject  is,  by 
the  very  condition  of  it's  existence,  finite  and  limited, 
and  consequently  distinct  from  the  Infinite,  from 
which  or  from  whom  it  proceeded.  5.  That  never- 
theless the  Infinite  is  in  created  subjects,  as  in  it's  re- 
ceptacles, according  to  their  various  degrees  and 
states  of  being.  6.  That  all  things,  which  thus  came 
forth  from  the  Divine  Being,  do  in  a  certain  way  re- 
turn to  him  through  the  medium  of  man,  in  whose 
body  are  collected  all  the  uses  of  the  natural  world, 
and  in  whose  mind  all  the  uses  of  the  spiritual  world : 
and  that  such  return  is  made  by  an  acknowledgment 
in  heart,  understanding,  and  life,  that  all  things  are 
derived  from,  and  continually  supported  by,  the  di- 
vine love  and  the  divine  wisdom  of  the  great  Author 
of  all  being. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


13 


These  and  similar  considerations,  arising  from  a 
view  of  the  grand  work  of  creation,  demonstrate  to 
the  truly  rational  mind,  when  enlightened  by  revela- 
tion, that  God  is  omnipotent,  omniscient,  and  omni- 
present ;  that  by  virtue  of  his  divine  perfections  he  is 
essential  order ;  that  this  order  was  originally  intro- 
duced into  the  universe,  and  all  it's  parts  ;  and  that 
man  especially  was  created  to  be  a  living  form  of  such 
order,  and  consequently  an  image  and  likeness  of  his 
bountiful  Creator. 


V.  The  State  of  Man  before  the  Fall. 

THEY  who  understand  the  Word  only  in  it's  lite- 
ral sense,  are  led  to  believe,  that  the  creation,  which 
is  described  in  the  first  and  second  chapters  of  Gene- 
sis, denotes  the  creation  of  the  universe,  and  that  God 
was  employed  six  days  in  making  the  heaven,  the 
earth,  the  sea,  with  all  things  which  are  in  them,  and 
at  length  man  in  his  own  image  and  likeness.  But 
who  cannot  see,  if  he  ponders  deeply  on  the  subject, 
that  the  creation  of  the  visible  universe  is  not  there 
meant  ?  For  such  things  and  circumstances  are  there 
described,  as  any  person  of  sound  judgment,  or  even 
of  common  understanding,  may  know  were  not  brought 
into  existence  in  the  manner  related.  For  example, 
it  is  said,  that  there  were  light  and  darkness,  day  and 
night,  morning  and  evening,  also  grass,  herbs,  and 
trees,  yielding  seed  and  fruit,  before  the  creation  of 
the  sun,  moon,  or  stars  ;  and  yet  it  is  not  possible  to 
conceive  how  these  effects  could  be  produced,  without 
the  existence  and  influence  of  the  sun. 

Again,  it  is  written  in  the  first  chapter,  that  God 
made  man  male  and  female ;  but  in  the  second  chap- 
ter, even  after  the  conclusion  of  the  six  days  of  cre- 
b  2 


14 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


ation,  that  there  was  not  a  man  to  till  the  ground  ; 
whereupon  one  was  formed  of  the  dust  of  the  ground, 
and  the  breath  of  life  breathed  into  his  nostrils.  Be- 
ing then  placed  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  wherein  were 
trees  of  e*ery  kind,  pleasant  to  the  sight,  and  good 
for  food,  particularly  one  in  the  midst  of  the  garden, 
called  the  tree  of  life,  and  another  called  the  tree  of 
the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  he  is  severely  pro- 
hibited from  eating  of  this  latter  tree,  yet  allowed 
freely  to  eat  of  all  the  rest:  which  circumstance,  if 
taken  literally,  is  liable  to  be  considered  by  some 
readers  as  a  snare  laid  for  him,  under  the  most  tempt- 
ing appearances,  either  to  entangle  him  in  a  direct 
act  of  disobedience,  or  to  excite  in  him  an  appetite  to 
forbidden  fruit.  But  there  being  as  yet  no  help  meet 
for  the  man,  the  history  proceeds  to  inform  us,  that 
Jehovah  God  caused  a  deep  sleep  to  fall  upon  him  ; 
and  while  he  was  in  this  state,  it  is  added,  that  he 
took  one  of  his  ribs  from  him,  (although  it  does  not 
appear,  that  he  had  been  previously  furnished  with 
more  than  were  necessary  for  his  own  use,)  and 
formed  it  into  a  woman.  Then  in  the  third  chapter 
we  are!  further  informed,  that  a  serpent,  more  subtle 
than  any  other  beast,  and  withal  miraculously  endued 
with  the  faculty  of  speech,  discoursed  with  the  woman 
in  her  own  language,  and  with  artful  reasonings  per- 
suaded her  to  eat  of  the  tree  of  knowledge,  and  fi- 
nally involved  Adam  in  the  same  transgression  ;  al- 
though it  is  reasonable  to  suppose,  that,  coming  out  of 
the  hands  of  his  Creator,  he  was  the  most  perfect  and 
the  wisest  of  mankind.  But  the  calamity,  into  which 
the  first  pair  thus  plunged  themselves,  according  to 
the  generally-received  doctrine,  was  not  confined  to 
their  own  persons,  but  extended  itself  to  the  whole  of 
their  posterity,  who  are  therefore  supposed  to  have 
been  sentenced  to  eternal  damnation,  not  for  their 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


15 


own  fault,  but  for  that  of  their  first  parents  committed 
long  before  they  had  any  offspring. 

Such  are  the  difficulties  and  paradoxes  attending 
the  mere  literal  interpretation  of  this  part  of  the 
Word,  which,  it  is  to  be  feared,  have  had  the  effect, 
with  too  many,  of  inducing  upon  their  minds  first  of 
all  a  doubt  concerning  it's  sanctity,  and  at  length  a 
disposition  flatly  to  deny  it's  divine  inspiration,  and 
to  rate  the  whole  volume  of  revelation  as  a  downright 
imposition  on  the  credulity  of  mankind.  Yet  how 
different  will  it's  character  be  found,  when  it  is  under- 
stood and  admitted,  that  there  is  in  every  part  of  the 
Sacred  History  an  internal  spiritual  sense  perfectly 
distinct  from  the  letter ;  and  that  in  that  sense  hea- 
venly and  divine  things  are  exhibited  to  view  under 
natural  and  external  representations!  For  it  is  now 
well  known,  that  the  method  of  writing  here  alluded 
to  was  practised  by  the  wisest  among  the  ancients ; 
and  that  they  were  held  in  the  highest  esteem,  who 
shewed  the  most  skill  in  describing  spiritual  and  moral 
subjects  in  historical  forms.  Of  a  still  higher  charac- 
ter, because  of  divine  origin  both  as  to  matter  and  as 
to  expression,  are  the  first  chapters  of  Genesis,  which 
are  to  be  interpreted  in  the  following  manner. 

By  the  creation  of  heaven  and  earth  is  spiritually 
understood  the  new  creation  or  regeneration  of  man 
in  general,  particularly  of  the  man  of  the  Most  An- 
cient Church,  which  was  called  Adam,  or  Man,  be- 
cause it  was  a  truly  celestial  church,  and  a  model  of 
every  human  virtue.  By  heaven  is  meant  it's  inter- 
nal, and  by  earth  it's  external.  By  the  six  days  of 
labour,  and  the  seventh  day  of  rest,  into  which  Je- 
hovah entered,  after  he  had  finished  his  work,  are 
understood  the  various  stages  of  man's  regeneration, 
and  the  heavenly  peace  which  then  succeeds.  The 
most  perfect  state  of  this  church  is  described  in  the  se- 


16 


A   COMPENDIUM   OP  THE 


cond  chapter,  from  the  7th  to  the  17th  verse,  where 
man,  being  formed  into  the  image  and  likeness  of  his 
Creator,  is  pronounced  to  be  a  living  soul,  and 
placed  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  which  was  well  water- 
ed, and  enriched  with  the  choicest  fruits  of  the  earth. 
The  garden  itself,  called  also  paradise,  denotes  the 
wisdom  and  intelligence  of  the  man  or  men  thus  cre- 
ated anew,  and  made  celestial :  the  trees  pleasant  to 
the  sight,  and  good  for  food,  denote  their  interior  per- 
ceptions of  truth  and  good  :  the  tree  of  lives  in  the 
midst  of  the  garden,  denotes  their  love  and  wisdom 
derived  solely  from  the  Lord  their  Creator :  and  the 
tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  denotes  faith 
or  science  capable  of  being  derived  from  themselves, 
or  from  their  own  sensual  principle,  in  an  external 
way,  contrary  to  divine  order;  on  which  account 
they  were  prohibited  from  eating  of  the  fruit  of  this 
latter  tree,  but  allowed  to  eat  freely  of  the  other 
trees. 

The  state  of  man,  prior  to  the  fall,  widely  differed 
from  his  present  state.  Before  that  period  his  will 
and  understanding  were  perfectly  united,  and  formed 
only  one  mind  ;  insomuch  that,  as  soon  as  ever  any 
love  or  affection  was  in  motion,  it  instantly  produced 
it's  proper  science  or  thought,  the  one  being  insepa- 
rable from  the  other.  In  that  happy  age,  called  by 
way  of  eminence  the  golden  age,  men  needed  no  ex- 
ternal instruction,  but  obtained  all  necessary  know- 
ledge by  an  internal  influx,  like  a  dictate  from  hea- 
ven. Hence  they  had  no  written  revelation,  because 
divine  truths  were  inscribed  on  their  hearts  :  neither 
did  they  exercise  any  external  worship,  like  that  of 
succeeding  times,  because  they  needed  no  stimulus, 
no  formal  excitation,  to  the  performance  of  duties, 
which  to  them  were  the  constant  and  sweetest  employ- 
ment of  their  lives.    They  were  born  also  into  the 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


17 


science  of  all  things  conducive  to  their  well-being  and 
happiness,  whether  natural  or  spiritual.  The  whole 
theatre  of  nature  was  to  them  only  a  picture  of  hea- 
ven. Every  object  that  met  their  eye,  from  the  sun 
in  the  firmament  to  the  smallest  particle  of  dust  on  the 
earth,  furnished  them  with  an  opportunity  of  contem- 
plating it's  true  and  proper  archetype  in  that  eternal 
world,  of  which  they  were  in  a  manner  already  inha- 
bitants, even  while  dwelling  in  the  body.  They  had 
no  external  respiration,  no  sonorous,  articulate  lan- 
guage, such  as  took  place  afterwards ;  but  communi- 
cated their  ideas  one  to  another  by  numberless  chan- 
ges of  the  countenance,  especially  by  the  varied  mo- 
tions of  the  lips,  and  by  the  lively  expressions  of  the 
eye.  Moreover  there  was  no  deceit,  no  such  thing  as 
hypocrisy;  but  the  countenance  was  the  ready  and 
faithful  index  of  the  mind  :  the  consequence  of  which 
was,  that,  enjoying  a  mutual  perception  of  each  other's 
states,  they  both  communicated  and  received  more 
certain,  distinct,  and  rapid  successions  of  thought  and 
affection,  than  any  sonorous  and  articulate  language 
can  now  possibly  convey. 

How  long  man  remained  in  this  his  primeval  state 
of  integrity  and  perfection,  into  which  he  was  succes- 
sively introduced  after  his  birth  as  a  natural  man;  or 
how  many  generations  of  men  continued  to  enjoy  the 
heavenly  life  above-described  ;  cannot  at  present  be 
known.  But  it  is  probable,  that  symptoms  of  a  ten- 
dency to  decline  might  have  appeared  soon  after  this 
primitive  church  had  arrived  at  it's  fulness  of  matu- 
rity, and  long  before  any  gross  corruptions  had  enter- 
ed among  them,  so  as  to  cause  their  entire  expulsion 
from  the  garden  of  Eden,  and  at  length  their  total 
destruction  by  a  flood,  or  inundation  of  lusts  and  false 
persuasions. 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


VI.    The  Origin  of  Evil,  and  the  Fall  of  Man. 

MAN,  when  formed  into  the  image  and  likeness  of 
his  Creator,  was  in  the  just  and  full  exercise  of  two 
original  faculties,  called  rationality  and  liberty.  By 
rationality  is  meant  the  faculty  of  understanding  what 
is  true  and  false,  also  what  is  good  and  evil :  and  by 
liberty  is  meant  the  faculty  of  thinking,  willing,  and 
acting,  in  a  state  of  perfect  freedom.  These  two  fa- 
culties were  implanted  in  man  at  his  creation  ;  they 
are  still  in  him  at  his  birth  into  the  world  ;  and  they 
are  never  absolutely  taken  away  from  him.  But  they 
are  not,  properly  speaking,  his  own ;  they  are  only 
lent  or  continually  communicated  to  him,  being  of  and 
from  the  Lord  in  him,  insomuch  that  they  may  be  said 
to  be  the  dwelling-place  or  residence  of  God  with 
every  man,  enabling  him  to  think  and  speak,  to  will 
and  act,  in  all  appearance  as  of  himself.  These  fa- 
culties, thus  appealing  in  him  as  his  own,  constitute 
his  capacity  of  entering  into  reciprocal  conjunction 
with  his  Creator,  and  consequently  of  living  for  ever. 
By  these  also  he  is  capable  of  being  reformed  and  re- 
generated ;  and  by  these  he  is  distinguished  from  the 
brute  beasts. 

Man  then  being  thus  created  and  formed  into  an 
image  and  likeness  of  his  God,  and  feeling  in  himself 
the  life  imparted  to  him  in  all  respects  as  if  it  were 
his  own,  his  integrity  consisted  in  perpetually  ac- 
knowledging from  his  heart,  that  all  he  had  was  the 
Lord's  in  him.  But  it  is  plain,  that,  while  this  de- 
rived life  appeared  to  be  in  him  as  his  own,  though 
in  reality  it  was  not  so,  he  must  necessarily  have  had 
the  power  either  of  ascribing  it  to  the  Lord,  accord- 
ing to  the  real  truth  of  the  case,  or  to  himself,  ac- 
cording to  the  mere  appearance.  For  without  this 
possibility  he  could  not  have  existed  a  single  moment 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


19 


as  a  rational  and  free  agent ;  in  other  words,  he  could 
not  have  been  a  man,  but  would  have  been  a  kind  of 
automaton,  an  intellectual  machine,  or  at  best  a  dig- 
nified brute.  While  he  thought,  willed,  and  acted, 
in  and  according  to  the  truth,  notwithstanding  the 
appearance,  he  remained  in  the  order  to  which  he 
was  created  :  but  as  soon  as  ever  he  yielded  to  the 
appearance,  and  by  reasonings  from  the  senses  con- 
firmed himself  therein,  he  then  abused  those  facul- 
ties, with  which  he  was  endued,  and  by  turning  to 
himself  departed  from  his  Creator.  Thus,  instead  of 
standing  in  the  true  order  of  his  life,  which  consisted 
in  the  perpetual  acknowledgment,  that  he  was  only  a 
recipient  of  life  from  God,  he  erroneously  confirmed 
himself  in  the  appearance  that  such  life  was  his  own: 
and  thus,  by  the  abuse  of  his  two  faculties  of  ration- 
ality and  liberty,  he  formed  in  himself  the  origin  and 
beginning  of  evil. 

All  this  is  described  in  the  Sacred  Scripture  in  a 
way  peculiar  to  the  genius  of  the  most  ancient  people. 
The  language  used  for  this  purpose  may  be  called 
parabolical,  or,  as  the  apostle  Paul  expresses  it,  alle- 
gorical: but  in  truth  every  word  is  significative  of, 
and  correspondent  with,  some  specific  matter  of  con- 
templation included  in  the  general  subject.  In  lan- 
guage of  such  a  character  the  serpent,  which  deceived 
the  woman,  and  through  her  the  man,  denotes  the  sen- 
sual principle,  which  by  fallacious  appearances,  and 
plausible  but  false  reasonings,  flatters  and  seduces 
first  of  all  the  will  or  selfish  propensity,  represented 
by  the  woman,  and  afterwards  the  rational  faculty 
itself,  represented  by  the  man.  For  the  man,  the 
woman,  the  serpent,  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  ^ood 
and  evil,  and  the  garden  of  Eden  its  'If,  all  repre- 
sented and  signified  states  of  affection,  thought,  and 
life,  in  each  individual  member  of  the  church,  and 


80 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


at  the  same  time  in  that  collective  body  of  men,  of 
whom  consisted  the  first  or  most  ancient  church  on 
this  earth.  The  way,  in  which  that  church  fell,  was 
the  same  as  that  in  which  every  succeeding  church 
has  fallen  :  each  church,  when  arrived  at  maturity,  has 
had  it's  man  and  it's  woman  ;  each  has  been  placed  in 
a  garden  similar  to  that  of  Eden,  though  not  so  highly 
cultivated,  nor  so  rich  in  product ;  each  however  lias 
had  it's  tree  of  life  in  the  midst,  it's  tree  of  the  know- 
ledge of  good  and  evil,  it's  delicious  fruits,  and  it's 
seducing  serpent.  And  if  we  trace  the  progress  of 
evil,  we  shall  find,  that  all  these  successive  churches, 
all  the  individuals  composing  them,  and  all  who  have 
descended  from  them,  or  in  any  way  been  related  to 
them,  in  short,  all  the  families  of  mankind,  all,  all 
have  eaten  of  the  forbidden  fruit;  they  have  all,  more 
or  less,  suffered  themselves  to  be  deceived  by  the  de- 
lusive pleasures  of  self-love  and  the  love  of  the  world. 

From  the  preceding  observations  it  evidently  ap- 
pears, that  man,  by  the  abuse  of  his  faculties  of  liberty 
and  rationality,  with  which  he  was  originally  endued, 
perverted  the  order  in  which  he  was  created,  confirm- 
ed himself  in  states  of  infidelity  and  moral  depravity, 
and  at  length  plunged  himself  into  unspeakable  mise- 
ries and  calamities,  from  which  there  could  have  been 
no  recovery,  but  by  the  interposition  of  the  divine 
mercy,  wisdom,  and  omnipotence.  The  Creator  him- 
self, therefore,  compassionating  his  helpless,  fallen 
offspring,  immediately  announces  to  them  his  purpose 
of  effecting  their  restoration  ;  and  in  the  mean  time 
makes  a  true  faith  in  the  future  Messiah  the  condition 
of  their  present  acceptance  with  him,  and  of  their 
eternal  salvation  hereafter. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


21 


VII.  The  State  of  .Man  after  the  Full. 

THE  fall  of  man  is  generally  understood  to  have 
taken  place  at  the  time  when  Eve  first,  and  then 
Adam,  ate  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of 
good  and  evil  ;  till  which  unhappy  moment  they  are 
both  supposed  to  have  been  in  their  highest  state  of 
integrity  and  perfection,  ft  is  likewise  the  common 
opinion,  that  by  this  one  single  act  of  indulgence,  in 
eating  of  a  tree,  which  not  only  appeared  delightful 
to  the  eye,  but  was  thought  capable  of  imparting  a 
degree  of  wisdom  still  superior  to  that  which  they 
then  possessed,  they  both  precipitated  themselves  into 
the  lowest  abyss  of  moral  depravity,  and  at  once 
brought  upon  themselves,  and  upon  their  yet  unborn 
posterity,  a  complete  and  total  ruin.  But  from  an 
attentive  perusal  of  the  Sacred  History  it  may  be  seen, 
that  the  declension  of  the  Most  Ancient  Church,  call- 
ed Adam  or  Man,  was  gradual,  commencing  with  an 
almost  imperceptible  propensity  or  inclination,  in  the 
members  of  that  church,  to  be  led  by  themselves,  ra- 
ther than  by  the  Lord  ;  then  proceeding  to  a  more 
evident  state  of  self-love,  until  at  length  by  sensual 
reasonings,  by  direct  acts  of  disobedience,  and  by 
long-continued  habits  of  vice,  wickedness  prevailed 
universally,  and  the  whole  earth  was  filled  with  vio- 
lence. 

The  first  direct  notification  of  evil,  in  it's  incipient 
state,  is  given  in  the  18th  verse  of  the  second  chapter 
of  Genesis,  where  Jehovah  God  says,  «  It  is  not  good 
"  that  man  should  be  alone."  All  before  had  been 
either  good,  or  very  good.  But  from  this  period  evil 
took  it's  rise,  and  gradually  accumulated  through  a 
series  of  successive  churches,  with  occasional  inter- 
missions of  partial  restoration,  until  it  arrived  at  it's 
full  consummation,  which  is  thus  described  in  the  5th 
c 


22 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


and  13th  verses  of  the  sixth  chapter  :  «  And  God  saw 
"  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  great  in  the  earth, 
"  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his 
"  heart  was  only  evil  continually.  And  God  said 
"  unto  Noah,  The  end  of  all  flesh  is  come  before  me  ; 
"  for  the  earth  is  filled  with  violence  through  them  : 
"  and  behold,  I  will  destroy  them  with  the  earth." 
Yet,  notwithstanding  this  general  depravity  and  wick- 
edness, there  were  still  some  left,  who  retained  within 
themselves  the  capacity  of  being  restored  to  a  certain 
degree  of  integrity,  by  the  reception  of  charity  and 
faith  from  the  Lord.  These  were  represented  by 
Noah  and  his  family,  who  were  preserved  in  the  ark  j 
and  with  them  a  new  church  was  raised  up,  in  the 
room  of  that  which  perished. 

The  state  of  man  was  now  changed  :  his  mind,  and 
in  some  measure  his  body  also,  became  the  subjects 
of  a  new  organization  :  for,  whereas  before  the  fall 
his  will  and  understanding,  or  his  two  faculties  of 
willing  and  thinking,  were  inseparably  united,  the 
latter  constantly  acting  in  subserviency  to  the  former, 
after  the  fall,  more  especially  after  it's  entire  com- 
pletion, the  one  acquired  the  power  of  being  elevated 
above  the  other ;  that  is  to  say,  the  understanding  in 
it's  separate  capacity  could  contemplate  truth,  and  ac- 
knowledge the  justice  of  it's  dictates,  while  the  will 
still  remained  in  the  love  and  practice  of  evil.  At  the 
same  time  external  respiration  commenced,  and  toge- 
ther with  it  external  language,  sonorous  and  articu- 
late;  to  which  succeeded  a  written  revelation,  or  di- 
vine rule  of  life,  and  external  worship,  each  adapted 
to  the  state  of  man,  now  so  essentially  changed  from 
what  it  had  been  previously  to  his  fall. 

This  inversion  of  the  order,  in  which  man  was  ori- 
ginally created,  being  that  also  to  which  the  whole 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


23 


human  race  are  at  this  day  subject,  was  miraculously 
effected  for  the  sake  of  their  regeneration,  which  was 
in  future  to  he  conducted  through  the  external  me- 
dium of  instruction  directed  to  the  understanding,  in 
conjunction  with  the  interior  operations  of  the  divine 
mercy.  In  tins  way  a  new  will,  a  new  heart,  together 
with  new  affections  of  love,  and  new  perceptions  of 
wisdom,  were  to  be,  and  still  may  be,  formed  in  man, 
and  he  himself  restored,  if  not  to  the  same  high  de- 
gree of  perfection  as  before,  yet  to  a  near  resemblance 
of  it,  and  to  an  equal  participation  in  the  happiness  of 
eternal  life. 


VIII.  Redemjrtion  by  the  Assumption  of  Humanity. 

NO  sooner  had  man  eaten  of  the  forbidden  fruit, 
than  a  merciful  promise  was  made  of  his  future  re- 
demption and  salvation,  which  were  to  be  effected  by 
the  exertion  of  a  divine  power  in  his  behalf,  bruising 
the  head  of  the  serpent,  thereby  delivering  him  from 
the  dominion  of  evil  and  infidelity,  and  restoring  him 
to  that  happiness,  from  which  he  had  so  wofully  fallen. 
To  effect  this  great  end,  the  one  God,  Jehovah  him- 
self, in  the  fulness  of  time  descended,  and,  according 
to  the  principles  of  his  own  divine  order,  assumed  a 
human  essence  and  form  by  incarnation  ;  in  and  by 
which  form,  as  a  medium  suited  to  the  states  and  per- 
ceptions of  his  creatures,  he  might  not  only  become 
visible  to  them,  but  might  also  gradually  introduce 
among  them,  from  the  fountain  of  pure  divinity  with- 
in that  medium,  such  a  measure  of  his  divine  influence 
as  would  tend  to  remove  the  impending  destruction 
from  their  heads,  and  at  length  raise  them  to  a  state 
of  final  happiness. 


to 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


The  reason  why  this  assumption  of  Humanity  be- 
came necessary  was,  because  in  this,  and  in  no  other 
way,  could  the  infinitely  pure  and  divine  essence  ap- 
proach the  cause  of  man's  disorder,  now  risen  to  it's 
extreme  limit,  without  danger  of  consuming  htm  :  for 
as  human  nature  is  the  seat  and  habitation  of  evil,  it 
appears,  that  the  only  mode  of  expelling;  such  evil,  or 
at  least  of  reducing  it's  power,  was  by  Jehovah  pre- 
paring for  himself  a  body,  wherein  he  might  as  it  were 
come  into  contact  with,  and  at  the  same  time  resist 
and  overcome,  those  infernal  spirits,  who,  being  pre- 
sent with  man,  are  continually  seducing  and  endea- 
vouring to  destroy  him.  This  combat  and  victory 
over  the  powers  of  darkness,  by  Jehovah  himself 
while  in  the  Humanity,  form  a  principal  subject  of 
divine  revelation  :  and  hence  it  is  that  we  so  frequent- 
ly find  him  described  as  a  Mighty  Man,  a  Man  of 
War,  a  Conqueror,  a  King  of  Glory,  &c.  &c. 

Numerous  are  the  passages  in  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, which  confirm  the  doctrine  here  maintained,  of 
the  descent  of  Jehovah  himself  into  the  world,  in  or- 
der that  he  might  become  an  incarnate  God,  and  thus 
an  everlasting  Redeemer  and  Saviour.  But  the  fol- 
lowing will  be  found  amply  sufficient  on  the  present 
occasion.  "  Behold,  a  virgin  shall  conceive,  and 
"  bear  a  Son,  and  shall  call  his  name  Immanuel  (God 
"with  us),"  Isa.  vii.  14.  Matt.  i.  22,  23.  "Unto 
"us  a  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is  given,  and 
"  the  government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder  :  and  his 
"  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the 
"  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting  Father,  the  Prince 
"  of  Peace,"  Isa.  ix.  6.  "  It  shall  be  said  in  that 
"  day,  Lo,  this  is  our  God,  we  have  waited  for  him, 
"  and  he  will  save  us :  this  is  Jehovah,  we  have 
"  waited  for  him,  we  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in 
"  his  salvation,"  Isa.  xxv.  9.    "  Behold,  the  Lord 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION*, 


25 


*  Jehovih  will  come  with  strong  hand,  and  his  arm 
«  shall  rule  for  him  :  he  shall  feed  his  flock  like  a 
"Shepherd,"  Isa.  xl.  10,  11.  "All  flesh  shall 
••  know,  that  I  Jehovah  am  thy  Saviour  and  thy 
"  Redeemer,  the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob,"  Isa.  xlix. 
26. 

The  form,  under  which  Jehovah  appeared,  and  by 
which  he  may  be  said  to  have  seut  himself  into  the 
world,  was  called  the  Son  of  God ;  and  it  was  so 
called  for  the  reasons  to  be  now  stated.  As  it  was 
impossible  for  the  infinitely  pure  and  naked  Divinity, 
such  as  it  is  in  itself,  to  come  down  among  men, 
without  consuming  them  in  an  instant,  the  divine 
mercy  of  Jehovah  God  prompted  him  to  come  down 
in  such  a  way  of  accommodation,  that  the  full  inten- 
sity of  his  glory  should  be  with-held  from  their  eyes, 
while  he  presented  himself  in  the  world  principally  as 
divine  truth,  veiled  or  clothed  in  human  nature,  from 
which  nevertheless  the  divine  good  was  not,  nor 
could  be,  really  separate.  Now  this  divine  truth,  so 
veiled  and  ciothed,  inasmuch  as  it  necessarily  appear- 
ed to  be  something  distinct  from  the  pure  Divinity, 
while  notwithstanding  this  latter  was  actually  within 
it,  as  the  soul  of  a  man  is  w  ithin  his  body,  was  on 
that  account  called  the  Son  of  God.  It  is  moreover 
to  be  observed,  that  the  divine  human  principle  within 
that  form  proceeded  forth  from  God,  or  the  pure  Di- 
vinity, comparatively  as  a  son  from  a  father  j  and 
that  the  very  maternal  substances  also  were  excited, 
and  put  into  human  form,  by  the  divine  power  alone. 
Thus  in  both  respects,  that  is,  in  reference  both  to  the 
form,  which  was  born  of  a  virgin,  and  to  that  which 
came  down  from  heaven,  the  Lord  while  on  earth 
was  called  the  Son  of  God. 

The  divine  truth,  which,  as  before  observed,  more 
particularly  descended,  and  was  more  immediately 
c  2 


26 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


adjoined  to  the  visible  human  form,  was  the  same  as 
the  Word,  of  which  it  is  written,  "  In  the  beginning 
"  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and 
"  God  was  the  Word  :  all  things  were  made  by  him, 
"  and  without  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  was 
"  made.  And  the  Word  ivas  made  flesh,  and  dwelt 
"  among  us  ;  and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as 
"  of  the  Only-begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace 
«  and  truth,"  John  i.  1,3,  14. 

The  work  of  redemption  did  not,  as  is  too  generally 
supposed,  consist  in  the  Son's  offering  himself  as  a 
sacrifice  in  the  room  of  mankind,  with  a  view  to  ap- 
pease the  wrath  of  the  Father,  to  satisfy  his  vindic- 
tive justice,  and  thereby  to  atone  for  the  sins  of  the 
world  :  for  in  the  first  place,  there  is  no  such  odious 
passion  as  wrath  in  the  Divine  Being,  nor  is  he  pos- 
sessed of  any  such  attribute  as  vindictive  justice ;  and 
in  the  next  place,  it  is  contrary  to  every  principle  of 
justice,  both  human  and  divine,  that  the  innocent 
should  suffer  for  the  crimes  of  the  guilty.  But  redemp- 
tion, being  a  work  purely  divine,  consisted  in  the 
actual  subjugation  of  the  powers  of  darkness,  in  the 
orderly  arrangement  of  the  heavens,  and  in  the  con- 
sequent foundation  of  a  new  spiritual  church  on  earth. 

A  process  of  this  nature  and  description,  when 
conducted  by  a  divine  power,  may  well  be  supposed 
to  have  the  effect  of  "  bruising  the  head  of  the  ser- 
"  pent,"  according  to  the  first  prediction  and  promise 
after  the  fall  of  man,  that  is,  of  destroying  the  do- 
minion of  self-love  and  the  love  of  the  world  in  the 
human  mind.  But  how  could  any  vicarious  sacrifice^ 
atonement,  or  pacification  of  supposed  wrath  in  the 
Deity,  by  one  not  at  all  concerned  in  the  offences  of 
the  disobedient,  produce  any  change  of  state  in  the 
guilty  and  impenitent  ?  And  without  a  change  of 
state,  how  can  an  unregenerate  person  be  qualified 


TRUE  OHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


27 


for  the  enjoyment  of  heavenly  happiness  ?  Such  a 
scheme  of  salvation,  as  that  here  alluded  to,  certainly 
puts  at  defiance  every  principle  of  sound  reason,  and 
throws  into  shade  all  our  ideas  of  the  divine  attributes 
and  perfections.  Above  all,  it  is  entirely  opposed  to 
the  truth  of  divine  revelation,  when  properly  under- 
stood ;  for  this  very  distinctly  teaches,  that  God  is  a 
Being  of  pure  love  and  mercy,  and  that  all  the  satis- 
faction or  atonement,  which  he  requires,  is,  that  we 
on  our  parts  endeavour  by  repentance  to  forsake  our 
sins,  to  put  away  from  us  the  evil  of  our  doings,  and 
to  turn  to  him  with  sincerity  of  heart ;  in  short,  as 
the  prophet  says,  "to  do  justice,  to  love  mercy,  and 
"  to  walk  humbly  with  our  God  :"  while  he  on  his 
part  is  ever  present  with  his  Spirit  to  give  us  the 
power  so  to  do,  and  to  direct  our  steps  in  the  way 
that  leads  to  everlasting  life. 

In  agreement  with  these  sentiments  it  is  written, 
«  To  obey  is  better  than  sacrifice,"  1  Sam.  xv.  22. 
•<  Sacrifice  and  offering  thou  didst  not  desire,  burnt- 
"  offering  and  sin-offering  hast  thou  not  required," 
Ps.  xl.  6.  The  same  is  again  repeated  in  another 
place,  in  nearly  the  same  words,  but  with  an  addi- 
tion, explaining  the  kind  of  sacrifice  that  really  is  ac- 
ceptable to  Jehovah:  "Thou  hast  not  desired  sacri- 
"  fice  ;  else  would  I  give  it:  thou  delightest  not  in 
"  burnt-offering :  the  sacrifices  of  God  are  a  broken 
«  heart,"  Ps.  li.  16,  17.  Jehovah  likewise  by  his 
servant  Hosea  says,  "  I  desired  mercy,  and  not  sa- 
«  crifice,"  Hos.  vi.  6 :  which  words  are  expressly 
quoted  by  our  Lord  in  the  Gospel,  as  having  an  im- 
mediate reference  to  the  great  end  for  which  he 
came  in  the  world  :  see  Matt.  ix.  13.  And  though 
many  have  inferred,  that  the  sacrifices  and  burnt- 
offerings,  enjoined  the  children  of  Israel,  were  ac- 
ceptable to  Jehovah  in  consideration  of  their  remind 


.23 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


ing  him  of  the  future  sacrifice  of  his  Son  on  the  cross, 
whose  blood  should  in  like  manner  be  spilt,  in  order 
to  render  him  propitious  to  mankind  ;  yet,  that  such 
a  notion  or  view  is  foreign  to  the  true  design  of  their 
permission,  and  that  they  were  all  representative  of 
the  worship  of  the  heart,  or  obedience  to  the  divine 
law1,  is  sufficiently  plain  from  the  following  explicit 
declaration  :  "  Thus  saith  Jehovah  of  hosts,  the  God 
"  of  Israel,  I  spake  not  unto  your  fathers,  nor  com- 
"  manded  them  in  the  day  that  I  brought  them  out  of 
"  the  land  of  Egypt,  concerning  burnt-offerings  or 
"  sacrifices.  But  this  thing  commanded  I  them, 
"  saying,  Obey  my  voice,  and  I  will  be  your  God, 
"  and  ye  shall  be  my  people  :  and  walk  ye  in  all  the 
"  ways  that  I  have  commanded  you,  that  it  may  be 
"  well  unto  you,"  Jer.  vii.  22,  23. 

It  was  stated  above,  that  redemption  consisted  in 
three  things,  viz.  1.  the  subjugation  of  the  powers  of 
darkness;  2.  the  orderly  arrangement  of  the  hea- 
vens ;  and,  3.  the  consequent  formation  of  a  new 
church  on  earth.  The  subjugation  of  the  powers  of 
darkness  is  in  the  Sacred  Scripture  called  a  judgment ; 
and  this  was  accomplished  by  the  Lord  while  in  the 
Humanity  on  earth,  as  is  plain  from  his  own  words  : 
"  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this  world;  now  shall  the 
u prince  of  this  world  be  cast  out"  John  xii.  31. 
"  The  prince  of  this  world  is  judged,"  John  xvi.  H» 
«  Be  of  good  cheer,  I  have  overcome  the  Hybrid" 
John  xvi.  33.  And  again,  "  I  beheld  Satan  us 
"  lightning  fall  from  heaven f  Luke  x.  18.'  At  the 
same  time  he  formed  new  heavens  above,  and  a  new 
earth  below,  that  is,  a  new  church  both  in  the  spiri- 
tual and  in  the  natural  world,  wherein,  according  to 
prophecy,  should  dwell  righteousness  and  peace. 
Thus,  by  virtue  of  his  Divinity  operating  in  and  by 
his  Humanity,  he  delivered  mankind  from  the  over- 


TRC>E  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


29 


whelming  power  of  evil,  reduced  to  order  all  things 
in  heaven,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  a  new  spiritual 
church  on  earth.  This  process,  begun  in  divine  mercy, 
and  conducted  by-  divine  power,  constituted  the  true 
nature  of  redemption. 


IX.   The  Glorification  of  the  Humanity. 

THE  descent  of  Jehovah  God  into  the  world  by 
the  assumption  of  Humanity,  being  for  the  purpose  of 
effecting  the  restoration  of  man,  as  above  described, 
it  was  necessary,  when  that  work  was  accomplished, 
that  he  should  again  ascend,  or  return  back  to  that 
glory,  of  which  he  appeared  to  be  emptied,  when  he 
so  far  humbled  himself  as  to  take  upon  him  our  infirm 
nature.  In  short,  it  was  necessary,  that  he  should 
divest  himself  of  that  material  body,  with  which  he 
Was  clothed  for  a  time,  aud  which  in  a  great  measure 
concealed  from  mankind  the  glory  of  his  Divinity. 
But  as  it  was  by  Humanity  in  conjunction  with  Divi- 
nity, that  the  redemption  of  man  was,  and  could 
alone  be,  effected  ;  so,  in  order  to  perpetuate  this 
new  condition  of  the  Divine  Agent,  and  that  he 
might  be  a  Redeemer  and  Saviour  to  eternity,  he 
gradually  united  in  himself  all  the  attributes  and  per- 
fections of  Divinity,  with  all  the  principles  and  forms 
of  Humanity.  This  union  of  the  divine  essence  with 
the  human,  which  was  mutual  and  reciprocal,  was 
preceded  by  the  most  grievous  and  severe  temptations, 
the  last  of  which  was  the  passion  on  the  cross,  bv 
which  the  Lord  finally  laid  down  the  merely  natural 
life,  together  with  all  the  infirmities  incident  to  it, 
and  thus  entered  into  the  purely  divine  life,  yet  in 
and  with  a  Humanity  perfectly  Glorified  and  Divine. 


3d 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


The  reciprocal  unition  of  Divinity  vvitli  Humanity, 
and  of  Humanity  with  Divinity,  in  which  consisted 
the  glorification  of  the  Son,  or  his  union  with  the 
Father,  after  temptation,  is  thus  described  by  the 
Evangelist:  "Jesus  said,  The  lour  is  come,  that 
u  the  Son  of  Man  should  be  glorified.  Now  is  my 
"soul  troubled;  and  what  shall  I  say?  Father,  save 
"  me  from  this  hour  :  but  for  this  cause  came  I  unto 
"this  hour.  Father,  glorify  thy  name.  Then  came 
"  there  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  I  have  both 
"glorified  it,  and  will  glorify  it  again,"  John  xii. 
23,  27,  28.  "  When  Judas  was  gone  out,  Jesus 
"  said,  Now  is  the  Son  of  Man  glorified,  and  God 
"  is  glorified  in  him.  If  God  be  glorified  in  him, 
"God  shall  also  glorify  him  in  himself,  and  shall 
"straightway  glorify  him,"  John  xiii.  51,  52. 
"Father,  the  hour  is  come;  glorify  thy  Son,  that 
"thy  Son  also  may  glorify  thee,"  John  xvii.  1,  5. 
And  to  instruct  us,  that  the  great  end  and  design  of 
all  the  sufferings,  which  our  Lord  endured  while  on 
earth,  was  (not  the  pacification  of  any  wrath  in  the 
Father,  but)  the  glorification  of  his  own  Humanity, 
according  to  the  eternal  principles  of  divine  order,  he 
said  to  his  disciples,  "  Ought  not  Christ  to  have  suf- 
"fered  these  things,  and  to  enter  into  his  glory  ?" 
Luke  xxiv.  26. 

The  glorification  of  the  Humanity  was  the  same 
thing  also  as  the  return  of  Jesus  to  the  Father,  or  to 
the  divine  essence,  from  which  he  came  forth.  He 
therefore  says,  "  I  came  forth  from  the  Father,  and 
«  am  come  into  the  world  :  again,  I  leave  the  world, 
"  and  go  to  the  Father.''  John  xvi.  28.  Prior  to, 
and  during  the  progress  of,  his  glorification,  that  is, 
while  in  his  state  of  humiliation,  the  Lord  was  ap- 
parently distinct  from  the  Father ;  for  he  prayed  to 
him,  and  said,  that  the  Father  was  greater  than  he, 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


31 


and  that  he  came  to  do  his  will.  In  this  state  also 
he  suffered  temptations  and  crucifixion.  But  in  his 
state  of  glorification  he  said,  that  he  and  the  Father 
were  one  ;  that  the  Father  was  in  him,  and  he  in  the 
Father;  yea,  that  all  things  belonging  to  the  Father 
were  his ;  and  in  conclusion,  after  his  resurrection, 
that  all  power  was  given  unto  him  in  heaven  and  in 
earth. 

It  follows,  therefore,  that  after  the  descent  of  Je- 
hovah God  into  the  world,  and  during  the  time  in 
which  he  was  veiled  with  a  Humanity  visible  to  men, 
he  sustained  a  character  and  title  suited  to  the  low 
condition  and  appearance  assumed  ;  but  that,  on  his 
re-ascent,  he  again  returned  into  that  ineffable  glory, 
which  he  had  before  all  worlds,  and  which  now,  in 
consequence  of  the  incarnation  and  glorification, 
shines  in  heaven  with  a  seven-fold  lustre,  as  it  is  ex- 
pressed by  the  prophet  :  "  The  light  of  the  moon 
"  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  the  light  of  the 
"  sun  shall  be  seven-fuld,  as  the  light  of  seven  days, 
u  in  the  day  that  Jehovah  bindeth  up  the  breach  of 
"  his  people,  and  healeth  the  stroke  of  their  wound," 
Isa.  xxx.  26. 


X.   The  Holy  Spirit,  or  Divine  Operation. 

THE  great  Jehovah  having  thus  shew  n  himself  to 
be  not  only  the  Creator,  but  also  the  Redeemer  and 
Saviour,  by  means  of  the  Humanity  which  he  as- 
sumed in  the  world  :  and  having  returned  to  heaven, 
together  with  and  in  that  Humanity  glorified,  it  be- 
came necessary,  on  the  removal  of  his  personal  pre- 
sence from  the  church,  to  secure  to  it  the  presence  of 
his  Holy  Spirit:  and  this  is  effected  by  the  divine 
truth  proceeding  immediately  out  of  the  Lord's  glori 


92 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


fied  body  from  the  Father,  or  divine  essence  within 
him.  Hence  the  Holy  Spirit,  called  also  the  Spirit  of 
truth,  and  the  Comforter,  becomes  a  new  character 
of  the  Lord,  arising  out  of  the  incarnation  of  himself, 
as  divine  truth,  or  as  the  Word,  and  his  subsequent 
glorification:  and  hence  it  is  written,  "I  tell  you 
"  the  truth  ;  it  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away ; 
"  for  if  I  go  not  away,  the  Comforter  will  not  come 
"  unto  you  ;  but  if  I  depart,  /  will  send  him  unto 
"  you.  When  he  the  Spirit  of  truth  is  come,  he 
«  will  guide  you  into  all  truth  :  for  he  shall  not  speak 
"  of  himself  .  lie  shall  glorify  me ;  for  he  shall  re- 
"  ceive  of  mine,  and  shall  shew  it  unto  you.  All 
"  things  that  the  Father  hath,  are  mine :  therefore 
"  said  I,  that  he  shall  take  of  mine,  and  shall  shew 
"it  unto  you,"  John  xvi.  7,  13  to  15.  Again, 
"  The  Holy  Spirit  was  not  yet,  because  that  Jesus 
"was  not  yet  glorified,"  John  vii.  39.  But  after 
his  glorification,  "  Jesus  breathed  on  his  disciples, 
o  and  saith,  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Spirit,"  John 
xx.  22. 

In  these  passages  the  Holy  Spirit,  though  appa- 
rently represented  as  a  distinct  person  by  himself, 
yet  cannot  in  reality  be  considered  as  such  ;  because 
it  is  expressly  said  of  him,  that  he  shall  not  speak  of 
himself,  but  shall  take  of  the  Lord's  ;  that  there  was 
no  Holy  Spirit  until  the  glorification  of  Jesus;  and 
lastly,  that  the  breath,  or  divine  truth,  proceeding 
from  him,  after  his  glorification,  is  the  Holy  Spirit. 
It  further  appears  from  the  circumstance  of  there 
having  been  no  Holy  Spirit  until  the  glorification  of 
Jesus,  that  in  some  respects  it  is  to  be  distinguished 
from  the  Spirit  of  Jehovah,  or  even  the  Spirit  of  holi- 
ness, which  existed  prior  to  the  incarnation.  And  it 
is  remarkable,  that  in  the  original  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment the  term  Holy  Spirit  is  not  so  much  as  once 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


33 


mentioned,  though  the  phrase  Spirit  of  holiness  oc- 
curs three  times,  once  in  Ps.  li.  11;  and  twice  in 
Isa.  lxiii.  10,  It.  Neither  is  it  said  by  any  of  the 
prophets,  that  they  spake  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  but 
from  Jehovah.  The  difference  between  the  one  and 
the  other  may  be  seen  in  what  follows. 

By  the  Spirit  of  Jehovah  is  understood  the  divine 
truth  proceeding  from  him,  and  operating  through 
the  medium  of  angels  and  spirits.  This  operation, 
passing  through  such  a  medium,  though  adequate  to 
the  wants  and  necessities  of  former  ages  prior  to  the 
incarnation,  was  at  length,  in  consequence  of  the 
excessive  accumulation  of  evil,  found  to  be  no  longer 
effectual  in  promoting  the  reformation,  regeneration, 
and  salvation  of  mankind.  It  therefore  became  ne- 
cessary, that  the  Lord  should  assume  the  Humanity, 
and  by  the  divine  truth  proceeding  immediately  from 
himself,  when  glorified,  as  well  as  mediately  through 
angels  and  spirits,  restore  to  man  the  capacity  of  re- 
ceiving new  spiritual  life.  This  divine  truth,  pro- 
ceeding both  mediately  and  immediately  from  the 
Lord,  is  what  is  emphatically  called  the  Holy  Spirit, 
because  his  Humanity,  now  glorified,  is  the  only 
fountain  and  source  of  all  holiness;  as  it  is  written, 
>;  Who  shall  not  fear  thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy 
"  name  ?  for  thou  only  art  holy,''''  Apoc.  xv.  4.  Bv 
the  latter  Spirit,  that  is,  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  man  is 
also  enabled  to  comprehend  spiritual  things  even  in  a 
natural  and  rational  manner,  and  so  to  have  a  more 
full  and  satisfactory  view  of  the  great  truths  of  reve- 
lation, especially  of  Him,  from  whom  alone  they  pro- 
ceed, of  whom  alone  they  treat,  and  to  whom  alone 
they  continually  lead. 

In  addition  to  these  considerations  we  further  learn, 
that  the  Lord  himself  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  since  he, 
from  whom  any  tiling  proceeds,  must  be  essentially 

D 


34 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


the  same  with  it.  but  in  a  primary  order  and  degree. 
On  which  account,  after  identifying  himself  with  the 
Father,  he  proceeds  to  identify  himself  in  like  manner 
with  the  Comforter,  or  Spirit  of  truth,  whom  he  pro- 
mised to  send  after  his  personal  departure  out  of  the 
world,  saying  to  his  disciples,  «  I  will  not  leave  you 
"  comfortless  ;  I  will  come  to  yon  "  John  xiv.  18. 


XI.   The  Divine  Trinity. 

HAVING  in  the  preceding  pages  considered  the 
Lord  as  the  Father,  as  the  Son,  and  as  the  Holy 
Spirit;  and  having  identified  these  essentials  as  one 
undivided  God  ;  it  follows,  that  there  is  a  Divine 
Trinity  in  the  person  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  similar  to  the  human  trinity  of  soul,  body, 
and  proceeding  operation  in  every  individual  man. 
And  as  the  three  essentials,  which  constitute  a  human 
trinity,  do  not  in  the  smallest  degree  derogate  from 
the  unity  of  man's  nature,  perception,  and  life;  so 
neither  do  the  three  essentials,  which  constitute  the 
divine  trinity,  in  the  smallest  degree  violate  the  di- 
vine unity,  but  on  the  contrary  they  rather  exalt,  il- 
lustrate, and  confirm  it. 

To  assert,  as  some  do,  that  the  Father  is  one  per- 
son, the  Son  another,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  a  third, 
each  one  distinct  from  the  other,  each  one  by  himself 
a  complete  God  and  Lord,  though  to  one  are  ascribed 
properties  which  are  denied  to  the  others,  and  all 
three  co-eval  with  each  other,  that  is  to  say,  all  three 
co-existent  with  each  other  from  eternity,  is  such  a 
manifest  and  yet  contradictory  avowal  of  a  Trinity  of 
Gods,  that  no  after-palliation,  no  lip-confession  of 
there  being  still  only  One  God,  can  ever  be  admitted 
as  any  apology  for  the  insult  offered  both  to  the  Sacred 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


35 


Scriptures  and  to  sound  reason.  The  most  that  can 
be  allowed  to  the  professors  of  such  a  faith  is,  that  the 
three  Gods,  whom  they  aftect  to  acknowledge,  may 
occasionally  be  unanimous.  And  yet  it  appears,  that 
they  have  not  always  been  so,  since  the  one  has  re- 
quired an  atonement  for  sin  on  his  part,  which  the 
two  others  did  not  think  necessary  on  their's.  But, 
not  to  dwell  on  the  absurdities  of  a  doctrine,  which 
has  completely  overturned  the  church,  and  introduced 
a  species  of  refined  heathenism  in  the  place  of  the  true 
christian  religion,  it  is  sufficient  to  observe,  that  in 
the  apostolic  age  no  such  faith  was  known,  and  that 
for  hundreds  of  years  christians  were  satisfied  with 
acknowledging  and  worshipping  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
true  God  ;  the  doctrine  of  a  trinity  of  persons  not 
having  been  invented  for  so  long  a  time  after  the  first 
publication  of  Christianity. 

This  deplorable  state  of  the  christian  church  is 
clearly  predicted  by  our  Lord  in  the  24th  chapter  of 
Matthew's  Gospel :  and  it's  dangerous  principles,  now 
so  universally  prevalent,  are  called  by  him  the  abomi- 
nation of  desolation,  spoken  of  by  the  prophet  Daniel, 
standing  in  the  holy  place,  or  church.  But  at  the 
same  time  a  promise  is  made,  that,  on  the  consum- 
mation or  end  of  this  church,  a  new  one  shall  be 
raised  up,  which  will  both  in  doctrine  and  in  life  ac- 
knowledge only  One  God,  in  One  Divine  Person,  in 
whom  nevertheless  is  a  Divine  Trinity,  as  already 
explained ;  the  Father  or  Divine  Essence  being  the 
soul,  the  Son  or  Divine  Humanity  being  the  body,  and 
the  Holy  Spirit  being  the  proceeding  influence  or  ope- 
ration, all  belonging  to  one  and  the  same  God,  who  is 
no  other  than  our  ever-adorable  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ. 

To  confirm  this  doctrine  in  all  it's  fulness,  would 
be  to  transcribe  a  great  part  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 


36 


A  COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


But  as  without  such  authority  it  may  possibly  still  be 
a  matter  of  doubt  with  some  readers,  let  the  follow- 
ing passages  be  consulted,  and  the  truth  will  be  mani- 
fest. 

That  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Father,  is 
proved  from  Isa.  ix.  6.  John  x.  30.  Chap.  xii.  45. 
Chap.  xiv.  7,  9.  Chap.  xvi.  15.  Chap.  xvii.  10. 
Apoc.  i.  8,  11,  17.  Chap.  xxii.  13.  Besides  a  mul- 
titude of  other  passages,  which  declare  that  the  Re- 
deemer and  Saviour  of  the  world  is  no  other  than  the 
great  Jehovah. 

That  he  is  the  Son,  is  universally  acknowledged  : 
nevertheless  see  Matt.  i.  23.  Chap.  iii.  17.  Luke  i. 
31,  32,  35.  John  i.  18  ;  &c.  &c.  &c. 

And  that  he  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  proved  from  John 
vii.  39.  Chap.  xiv.  18.  Chap.  xvi.  14.  Chap.  xx.  22. 
Apoc.  ii.  7,  11,  17,  29.  Chap.  xv.  4. 

From  all  these  passages,  and  numberless  others, 
compared  together,  it  is  most  manifest,  that  there  is 
cr.!y  Gas  God  in  One  Person,  in  whom  is  the  Bfeiifi 
Trinity  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit;  and  that  our 
Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  that  One  God. 


XTL    The  Lord. 

WE  have  already  treated  of  the  being  and  unity  of 
God,  who,  as  the  unsearchable  fountain  of  all  life,  is 
called  Jehovah,  or  I  Jim,  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  Testament,  We  have  likewise  seen,  that 
the  same  Divine  Being  is  not  only  the  Creator  of  all 
worlds,  but  that  in  due  time  he  became  also  the  Re- 
deemer and  Saviour  of  mankind,  by  descending  upon 
this  earth,  assuming  our  nature,  and  therein  and 
thereby  delivering  his  creatures  from  the  overwhelm- 
ing power  of  evil.    It  is  further  observable,  that  in 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION'. 


3? 


the  Scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  he  is  no  where 
distinguished  by  his  name  Jehovah,  as  he  had  been  in 
times  antecedent  to  the  incarnation  :  which  is  a  cir- 
cumstance that  doubtless  must  have  for  it's  foundation 
or  cause  (independent  of  it's  reference  to  Jewish  pre- 
judices) some  new  condition  of  the  divine  existence, 
or  some  new  relation  opened  between  the  Creator  and 
the  creature,  by  the  assumption  of  Humanity. 

While  men  were  in  the  habit  of  receiving  commu- 
nications from  heaven  through  the  medium  of  pro- 
phets, no  apparent  violence  was  offered  to  their  rea- 
son, nor  were  they  placed  in  any  danger  of  profana- 
tion, by  being  informed  in  plain  terms,  that  the  re- 
velations so  given  were  dictated  by  the  great  Jehovah 
himself.  But  when  he  actually  made  his  appearance 
in  the  world  in  the  form  of  a  Man,  inasmuch  as  he 
was  regarded  by  the  people  in  no  other  character 
than  that  of  a  mere  human  being  like  themselves,  had 
he  openly  and  constantly  announced  himself  as  Jeho- 
vah, as  that  very  God  of  their  fathers,  who  in  an- 
cient times  had  commissioned  Moses  and  others  to 
make  known  his  will  to  them,  it  would  have  been  im- 
possible for  them  to  have  received  him  in  such  a  high 
character,  impossible  to  have  acknowledged  him  as 
the  Creator  and  Preserver  of  the  universe.  On  the 
contrary,  they  would  have  treated  him  with  still 
greater  contempt,  than  they  generally  did  ;  they  would 
have  disdained  his  conversation;  and  with  one  con- 
sent would  have  pronounced,  what  only  some  amongst 
them  ventured  to  assert,  that  "  he  had  a  devil,  and 
«  was  mad." 

It  was  therefore  a  dictate  of  divine  mercy  and  love, 
on  the  part  of  Jehovah  when  in  the  flesh,  not  only 
towards  the  Jewish  people,  but  towards  all  others, 
who,  by  reason  of  his  appearing  in  the  form  of  a  Man, 
too  hastily  conclude  that  he  was  in  reality  no  more, 
d  2 


38 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


that,  instead  of  the  name  Jehovah,  he  took  that  ot 
Lord,  and  instead  of  Father,  that  of  Son.  For  this 
reason,  and  because  it  was  not  lawful  for  the  Jews  to 
pronounce  the  word  Jehovah,  whenever  any  passage 
of  the  Old  Testament,  containing  the  name,  is  refer- 
red to  in  the  New,  instead  of  Jehovah,  the  term  Lord 
is  substituted  ;  evidently  implying,  that  the  latter  is 
tantamount  to  the  former,  yet  with  this  additional  sig- 
nification, that  the  title  of  Lord  is  used  to  denote 
Jehovah  in  the  Humanity,  or  God  Incarnate. 

But  another  reason  may  also  be  stated,  why  the 
name  Jehovah  is  no  where  used  in  the  Gospels,  and 
even  why  the  appellation  Lord,  it's  direct  substitute, 
does  not  always  distinguish  Jesus,  he  being  frequently 
called  Master  and  Christ,  as  well  as  Lord.  During 
his  abode  in  the  world,  or  before  his  glorification, 
though  he  was  indeed  Jehovah  in  the  Humanity,  yet 
he  was  not  in  all  respects  Jehovah  as  to  the  Huma- 
nity :  for  in  the  first  state  he  was  still  subject  to  the 
infirmities  derived  from  the  mother;  but  in  the  last 
he  was  wholly  exempt  from  every  thing  of  the  kind. 
Again,  in  the  first  state  he  more  particularly  sustained 
the  character  of  divine  truth  ;  and  on  this  account  he 
is  often  called  Christ  and  Master,  these  expressions 
having  more  immediate  reference  to  divine  truth,  than 
to  divine  good.  But  on  his  becoming  one  with  the 
Father,  even  as  to  the  Humanity,  that  is,  on  his  enter- 
ing upon  the  entire  character  of  divine  good,  which  is 
superior  to  that  of  divine  truth,  (John  xiv.  28.)  as  was 
the  case  fully  after  his  resurrection,  the  title  of  Lord 
is  then  more  uniformly  ascribed  to  him  by  his  disci- 
ples, and  most  emphatically  by  Thomas,  who  in  the 
ardour  of  his  faith  exclaims,  "  My  Lord  and  my  God!" 
Johr  xx.  28. 

In  confirmation  of  the  sentiments  above  expressed* 
first,  in  respect  to  the  danger  of  profanation,  which 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


39 


many  would  have  incurred,  had  the  Lord  spoken  to 
the  multitude  otherwise  than  in  parabolical  or  allego- 
rical language,  we  read,  that  Jesus  said  to  his  disci- 
ples, "  Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mysteries  of 
"  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  but  to  others  in  parables,  that 
"  seeing  they  might  not  see,  and  hearing  they  might 
«  not  understand,"  Luke  viii.  10.  Again,  "  Jesus 
"  said,  For  judgment  I  am  come  into  this  world,  that 
u  they  who  see  not,  might  see  ;  and  that  they  who 
"  see,  might  be  made  blind,''  John  ix.  39.  And  even 
to  his  disciples,  who  could  not  as  yet  comprehend  the 
purport  of  his  sayings,  nor  discern  the  high  character 
which  he  really  sustained,  he  observed,  "  I  have  yet 
"  many  things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear 
"  them  now,"  John  xvi.  12. 

In  the  next  place,  in  reference  to  the  term  Lord 
being  substituted  for  the  name  Jehovah,  we  find,  that 
Jesus,  when  quoting  the  first  commandment,  "  Hear, 
"  O  Israel,  Jehovah  our  God  is  one  Jehovah,"  &c. 
Deut.  vi.  4,  expresses  it  thus,  "  Hear,  O  Israel,  the 
"  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord,"  &c.  Mark  xii.  29.  And 
where  in  Ps.  ex.  1,  it  is  written,  "  Jehovah  said  unto 
"  my  Lord,"  &c.  Jesus  quotes  the  passage  in  these 
terms,  "  The  Lord  said  unto  my  Lord,"  &c.  Matt, 
xxii.  44.  Again,  The  arm  of  Jehovah,  Isa.  liii.  1,  is 
called  the  arm  of  the  Lord,  John  xii.  38  ;  and  so  plain- 
ly refers  to  the  miraculous  power  of  Jesus,  that  no 
doubt  can  be  entertained  of  his  being  the  true  Jehovah 
of  the  Old  Testament,  while  he  is  acknowledged  as 
the  sole  Lord  of  the  New. 

By  the  term  Lord,  therefore,  wheresoever  it  oc- 
curs in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  as  an  appellation  of 
Deity,  we  are  uniformly  to  understand  Jehovah  in 
the  Humanity,  or  in  other  words,  the  Saviour  of  the 
world,  Jesus  Christ,  who  hath  all  power  in  heaven 
and  in  earth,  Matt,  xxviii.  18 ;  who  is  one  and  the 


40 


A    COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


same  with  the  Father,  John  xiv.  7  to  11  ;  and  who 
therefore  says  to  his  disciples,  "  Ye  call  me  Master, 
"and  Lord;  and  ye  say  well,  for  so  I  am,"  John 
xiii.  13. 

It  may  be  further  remarked  concerning  the  appella- 
tion Lord,  that  it  implies  a  nearer  and  dearer  rela- 
tion to  man,  than  is  suggested  either  by  the  name 
Jehovah,  or  by  the  term  God,  or  by  both  in  conjunc- 
tion ;  while  at  the  same  time  it  involves  every  divine 
attribute  and  perfection  belonging  to  the  Deity. 
Hence  it  will  in  general  be  found,  that  whenever  a 
member  of  the  true  church  has  occasion  to  speak  of 
the  Supreme  Being,  especially  if  addressing  himself 
to  another  member  of  the  same  church,  he  will  rea- 
dily and  spontaneously  make  mention  of  him  by  the 
approved  title  or  appellation  of  Lord.  But,  on  the 
other  hand,  whenever  a  person,  who  may  be  consi- 
dered in  a  state  of  separation  from  the  church,  or 
even  one  who  is  yet  only  in  it's  externals,  is  simi- 
larly circumstanced,  he  will  as  readily  and  spontane- 
ously use  the  term  God.  Sometimes  indeed  a  mem- 
ber of  the  true  internal  church  will  also  use  this  latter 
term  :  but  it  will  be  found  in  general  to  be  either  in 
the  way  of  accommodation  to  the  states  of  others,  or 
in  reference  to  some  subject  that  does  not  immediate- 
ly involve  the  identity  of  Jesus  with  Jehovah.  The 
former  expression,  viz.  Lord,  arises  from  an  interior 
perception  and  acknowledgment  of  the  Divine  Pre- 
sence in  a  Human  Form,  accompanied  with  a  degree 
of  confidence  in  his  providence  and  protection  :  but 
the  latter  expression,  viz.  God,  for  the  most  part  an- 
nounces, on  the  part  of  those  who  habitually  use  it,  a 
vague,  distant,  and  obscure  idea  of  the  Being  so  deno- 
minated. 

"We  conclude  this  article  with  a  quotation  from 
Paul,  which,  singular  as  it  may  appear,  yet  does  credit 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


41 


to  the  discernment  even  of  an  apostle  :  "  I  give  you 
«  to  understand,  (says  he.)  that  no  man  can  say,  that 
"  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  but  by  the  Holy  Spirit,"  1  Cor.  xii. 
3.    The  Holy  Spirit  is  divine  truth. 


XIII.   The  Sacred  Scripture,  or  Word  of  God. 

AS  man  is  born  in  utter  ignorance  of  divine  things, 
and  incapable  of  deriving  from  the  mere  light  of  na- 
ture any  real  knowledge  of  the  existence  of  a  God, 
of  life  eternal,  of  heaven  and  hell,  and  of  many  other 
things  conducive  to  his  future  welfare  and  happiness, 
a  revelation  is  necessary  to  supply  this  defect.  In 
all  ages  of  the  world,  therefore,  mankind  have  been 
blessed  with  a  revelation  from  heaven,  either  by  an 
immediate  internal  dictate,  called  perception,  en- 
lightening each  individual  of  the  church,  as  was  the 
case  with  the  men  of  the  most  ancient  times  before 
the  flood  ;  or  by  £Wj  o.xtorr.al  written  Word,  as  was  the 
case  with  their  posterity  after  the  flood,  and  as  is  like- 
wise the  case  in  the  present  day.  The  first  written 
revelation,  which  may  be  called  the  Ancient  Word, 
though  now  lost,  is  yet  quoted  by  Moses  in  Numb, 
xxi.  14,  15,  27  to  SO  ;  by  Joshua,  chap.  x.  12  to  14; 
by  David,  2  Sam.  i.  17  to  19  ;  and  by  Jude,  ver.  14,  15. 
To  this  Ancient  Word  succeeded  the  Word  written 
by  Moses  and  the  Prophets,  usually  called  the  Old 
Testament ;  and  again  another  Word,  written  by  the 
Evangelists,  usually  called  the  New  Testament;  both 
of  which  are  included  in  what  we  now  call  the  Sacred 
Scripture,  or  Word  of  God. 

The  Word,  being  a  revelation  from  the  Divine  Be- 
ing, must  therefore  be  essentially  holy  and  divine ; 
containing  in  its  bosom  the  divine  love  and  divine 
wisdom,  or  what  amounts  to  the  same,  the  divine 


4  2 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


good  and  divine  truth,  proceeding  in  conjunction 
from  Jehovah  the  Lord  himself,  and  accommodated 
to  all  possible  states  of  reception  both  in  heaven  and 
in  the  church.  Hence,  in  it's  descent  to  men  on 
earth,  it  assumes  a  sense  either  divinely-celestial,  or 
divinely-spiritual,  or  divinely-natural,  according  to 
the  three  degrees  of  life,  or  reception  of  life,  in  angels 
and  men  ;  exciting  celestial  ideas  and  perceptions 
among  the  angels  of  the  third  or  highest  heaven,  spi- 
ritual ideas  among  the  angels  of  the  second  or  middle 
heaven,  and  celestial-natural,  or  spiritual-natural  ideas 
among  the  angels  of  the  first  or  lowest  heaven  :  in  ad- 
dition to  which  it  also  presents  itself  among  men  on 
earth  in  a  literal,  historical,  and  prophetic  form,  which, 
though  capable  of  being  separated  in  idea  from  the 
superior  or  interior  senses,  is  yet  in  perfect  union 
with  them,  by  virtue  of  the  correspondence  subsist- 
ing between  those  senses,  and  at  the  same  time  of  the 
divine  presence  within  them,  which  is  their  very  life 
and  soul. 

By  the  divinely-celestial  sense,  spoken  of  above,  is 
understood  whatsoever  has  more  immediate  relation  to 
the  Lord,  and  his  divine  love,  or  divine  good,  pro- 
ceeding from  him,  and  warming  the  heart  of  the  re- 
cipient subject :  by  the  divinely-spiritual  sense,  what- 
soever relates  to  the  divine  wisdom,  or  divine  truth, 
proceeding  from  him,  and  illuminating  the  under- 
standing :  and  by  the  divinely-natural  sense  is  meant 
the  complex  of  both  the  former  in  their  ultimate  forms 
and  terminations  ;  love  manifesting  itself  as  simple 
obedience,  and  wisdom  as  an  obscure  perception  of 
truth,  usually  called  faith.  Thus  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  is  respectively  accommodated  to  the  angels  of 
the  three  heavens,  and  also  to  men  on  earth :  so  that 
according  to  the  quality  and  degree  of  it's  reception 
in  the  understanding  and  in  the  life,  such  will  always 


Titl'li    CHHISHAN  RELIGION. 


43 


be  the  true  nature  and  quality  of  the  church  both 
amon<:  societies  and  individuals. 

In  it's  external  sense  the  Word  appears  to  treat 
much  of  worldly  and  terrestrial  things  ;  and  hence 
many  conclude,  that  it  differs  but  little  from  other 
writings  :  but  in  it's  internal  sense  it  treats  solely  of 
heavenly  and  divine  things,  these  latter  being  repre- 
sented and  signified  by  the  former.  In  the  internal 
it  is  full  of  glory,  and  exhibits  such  a  display  of  the 
divine  wisdom  and  love,  as  cannot  be  equalled  by  any 
other  production  :  while  in  the  external  it  is  like  a 
cloud  intercepting  the  beams  of  celestial  light,  and 
at  the  same  time  defending  it's  interior  contents  from 
the  wanton  eye  of  curiosity,  and  from  the  danger  of 
profanation.  It  is  on  this  account  that  the  coming  of 
the  Lord  in  his  Word,  to  open  and  reveal  it's  spiritu- 
al sense,  to  minds  capable  of  discerning  it,  is  said  to 
be  a  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and 
great  glory. 

Moreover  the  Word  is  the  only  medium  of  con- 
junction with  heaven,  and  thus  witli  the  Lord  him- 
self, who  is  intimately  present  in  his  Word,  and 
thereby  gives  to  man  a  capacity  for  the  enjoyment  of 
eternal  life.  It  is  this  presence  of  the  Lord  in  his 
Word,  communicating  spiritual  life  to  those  who  em- 
brace the  divine  trutli  contained  in  it,  and  who  en- 
deavour to  live  according  to  it's  precepts,  of  which 
he  speaks,  when  he  says,  ';  The  words  that  I  speak 
41  unto  you,  they  are  spirit,  and  they  are  life,**  John 
vi.  63.  "  Whosoever  drinketh  of  the  water  that  I 
"shall  give  him,  shall  never  thirst:  but  the  water, 
<;  that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water 
"  springing  up  into  everlasting  life"  John  iv.  14. 
And  again.  «  Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but 
"  by  pveri/  wt>r,l  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth  of 
«  God,"  Matt.  iv.  4. 


44 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


When  it  is  said  in  the  first  chapter  of  John's  Gos- 
pel, that  the  Lord  himself  is  the  Word,  as  being  the 
divine  truth  contained  in  it,  by  which  all  things  visible 
and  invisible  were  created,  and  which  also  was  made 
flesh ;  the  declaration  is  to  be  understood  onlv  in 
reference  to  those  books,  which  in  their  interior  senses 
treat  of  him  and  his  kingdom,  and  which  were  dictated 
either  by  himself,  or  by  the  spirit  proceeding  from 
himself:  for  such  books  only  can  be  considered  as 
pre-eminently  holy  and  divine.  These  are,  in  the 
Old  Testament,  the  five  books  of  Moses,  called  Gene- 
sis, Exodus,  Leviticus,  Numbers,  and  Deuteronomy  ; 
the  book  of  Joshua,  Judges,  the  two  books  of  Samuel, 
the  two  books  of  Kings,  the  Psalms  of  David,  the 
prophets  Isaiah,  Jeremiah,  Lamentations,  Ezekiel, 
Daniel,  Hosea,  Joel,  Amos,  Obadiah,  Jonah,  Micah, 
Nahum,  Habakkuk,  Zephaniah,  Haggai,  Zechariah, 
Malachi ;  and  in  the  New  Testament,  the  four  Evan- 
gelists, Matthew,  Mark,  Luke,  John  ;  and  the  Apoca- 
lypse. Other  books  may  be  very  useful,  so  far  as  they 
are  in  agreement  with  these ;  but  they  cannot  for  a 
moment  be  accounted  equal  to  them,  or  put  in  compe- 
tition with  them,  for  want  of  those  infinitely  superior 
prerogatives,  which  must  ever  distinguish  between  a 
divine  and  a  human  production. 


XIV.    The  Decalogue,  or  Ten  Commandments. 

THE  ten  commandments,  being  the  first-fruits  of 
the  Word,  and  containing  a  summary  of  all  things  re- 
lating to  religion,  or  to  love  towards  God,  and  love 
towards  our  neighbour,  are  to  be  received  and  ac- 
knowledged as  laws  not  only  of  natural,  civil,  and 
moral  obligation,  but  also  as  laws  of  the  truly  spiri- 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


45 


tual  and  celestial  life,  according  to  the  degree  in 
which  they  are  opened  and  applied.    In  the  Israel- 
itish  church  they  were  esteemed  most  holy,  both  in 
consideration  of  their  origin,  and  of  the  divine  pre- 
sence which  accompanied  them.  Their  supreme  sanc- 
tity is  evident  from  the  following  circumstances,  viz. 
That  Jehovah    the   Lord  himself  descended  upon 
mount  Sinai  in  fire,  and  there  promulgated  them  by 
word  of  mouth  :    that  bounds  were  set  about  the 
mount,  lest  any  one  should  approach  and  die  :  that 
neither  the  priests  nor  elders  approached,  but  Moses 
alone  :  that  the  commandments  were  written  on  two 
tables  with  the  finger  of  God  :  that  the  face  of  Moses 
shone,  when  he  carried  down  the  two  tables  the  se- 
cond time:  that  the  tables  were  afterwards  deposited 
in  the  ark,fand  the  ark  in  the  inmost  part  of  the  ta- 
bernacle, with  the  mercy-seat  upon  it,  and  two  che- 
rubim of  gold  upon  the  mercy-seat :  that  the  ilimost  of 
the  tabernacle,  where  the  ark  was  kept,  was  called 
the  holy  of  holies  :  that  without  the  veil,  within  which 
the  ark  was  placed,  there  were  various  articles  de- 
posited, which  represented  the  holy  things  of  heaven 
and  the  church,  such  as  the  table  overlaid  with  gold, 
the  shew-bread,  the  golden  altar  on  which  frankin- 
cense was  placed,  the  golden  candlestick  with  seven 
lamps,  and  the  curtains  round  about,  made  of  fine 
linen,  purple,  and  scarlet :  the  sanctity  of  all  which 
was  derived  solely  from  the  law  within  the  ark.  By 
reason  of  the  sanctity  of  the  tabernacle,  derived  from 
the  law  within  the  ark.  all  the  people  of  Israel  were 
commanded  to  encamp  about  it  in  order,  according  to 
their  tribes,  and  to  march  in  order  after  it;  at  which 
times  a  cloud  was  over  it  by  day,  and  a  fire  by  night. 
By  reason  of  the  sanctity  of  that  law,  and  the  pre- 
sence of  Jehovah  in  it.  Jehovah  conversed  with  Mo- 
ses from  off  the  mercy -seat,  between  the  cherubim; 

E 


46 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


and  the  ark  itself  was  called  Jehovah.  Even  Aaron 
was  not  permitted  to  enter  within  the  veil,  except 
with  sacrifices  and  incense,  lest  he  should  die.  By 
reason  of  the  presence  of  Jehovah  in  the  law,  and 
about  it,  miracles  also  were  wrought  by  the  ark, 
which  contained  it :  the  waters  of  Jordan  were  di- 
vided, and  so  long  as  the  ark  rested  in  the  midst 
thereof,  the  people  passed  over  on  dry  ground  :  the 
walls  of  Jericho  fell  down,  in  consequence  of  the 
ark's  being  carried  round  about  it :  Dagon,  the  god  of 
the  Philistines,  fell  on  his  face  before  it,  and  after- 
wards was  found  lying  without  his  head,  and  with  the 
palms  of  his  hands  on  the  threshold  of  the  house  :  the 
Beth-shemites,  to  the  number  of  more  than  fifty  thou- 
sand, were  smitten  for  looking  into  it :  and  Uzzah 
died  for  only  touching  it.  It  is  further  to  be  observed, 
that  the  same  ark  was  introduced  by  David  into  Zion, 
with  sacrifices  and  thanksgivings  ;  and  afterwards  by 
Solomon  into  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  where  it  con- 
stituted the  most  sacred  part  of  the  temple  :  not  to 
mention  other  circumstances,  which  are  convincing 
proofs,  that  the  Decalogue  was  the  very  seat  and  cen- 
tre of  holiness  in  the  Israelitish  church. 

The  reason  why  such  sanctity  and  such  power  be- 
longed to  that  law  was,  because  it  contained  the  sum 
and  substance  of  all  religion  :  for  it  was  inscribed  on 
two  tables  of  stone  placed  together  as  one,  in  order 
to  denote  the  covenant  and  conjunction,  which  is  en- 
tered into  between  the  Lord  and  man,  while  the  lat- 
ter observes  to  perform  his  part,  the  Lord  being  ever 
ready  to  perform  his.  The  great  duty  enjoined  by  the 
ten  commandments  is,  in  brief,  nothing  else  but  love 
to  God,  and  love  to  man  :  and  therefore  they  may 
well  be  considered  as  a  just  compendium  of  the  whole 
Word  ;  for  this  in  like  manner  teaches,  though  more 
fully,  the  very  same  doctrine.    This  is  confirmed  by 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


47 


the  Lord  himself  in  these  words  :  «  Jesus  said,  Thou 
«  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and 
M  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind  ;  and  thy 
"  neighbour  as  thyself:  on  these  two  commandments 
"  hang  all  the  law  and  the  prophets,"  Matt.  xxii.  37 
to  40.  And  to  another  place,  when  a  lawyer  inquired 
of  Jesus  what  he  must  do  to  inherit  eternal  life,  he  re- 
ferred him  to  the  same  duty  of  love  to  God,  and  love 
to  man,  adding,  "  This  do,  and  thou  shalt  live,"  Luke 
x.  25  to  28. 

It  is  observable,  that  eight  out  of  the  ten  command- 
ments are  expressed  in  the  negative  form,  prohibiting 
acts  of  wickedness  and  uncharitableness,  and  not 
positively  enjoining  the  things  contrary  to  them,  such 
as  works  of  piety,  mercy,  and  kindness.  Thus  it  is 
said  in  the  First  commandment,  Thou  shalt  not  have 
other  gods  before  me.  In  the  Second,  Thou  shalt 
not  take  the  name  of  Jehovah  thy  God  in  vain.  In 
the  Fifth,  Thou  shalt  not  kill.  In  the  Sixth,  Thou 
shalt  not  commit  adultery.  In  the  Seventh,  Thou 
shalt  not  steal.  In  the  Eighth,  Thou  shalt  not  bear 
false  witness.  In  the  Ninth  and  Tenth,  Thou  shalt 
not  covet  what  is  thy  neighbour's.  The  reason  of  this 
circumstance  appears  to  be,  because  it  is  necessary 
that  man,  who  is  already  in  the  love  and  practice  of 
the  evils  above  enumerated,  should  abstain  from  them 
as  sins  against  God,  before  he  can  perform  works  of 
genuine  love  and  charity  :  for  it  is  only  in  proportion 
as  he  thus  abstains  from  evil,  that  good  inclinations 
can  be  implanted  within  him.  For  example,  1.  In 
proportion  as  any  person  does  not  worship  other  gods, 
so  far  he  worships  the  true  God.  2.  In  proportion 
as  a  person  does  not  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain,  so 
far  he  loves  and  reverences  whatever  is  divine.  3. 
In  proportion  as  a  person  is  unwilling  to  commit  mur- 
der, or  to  indulge  in  hatred  and  revenge,  so  far  he 


•18 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


wishes  well  to  his  neighbour.  4.  In  proportion  as  a 
person  is  unwilling  to  commit  adultery,  so  far  he  de- 
sires to  live  in  chastity  with  his  wife.  5.  In  propor- 
tion as  a  person  is  unwilling  to  steal,  so  far  he  pur- 
sues the  path  of  justice  and  sincerity.  6.  In  propor- 
tion as  a  person  is  unwilling  to  bear  false  witness,  so 
far  he  is  desirous  of  thinking  and  speaking  the  truth. 
7  and  8.  In  proportion  as  a  person  does  not  covet 
the  things  belonging  to  his  neighbour,  so  far  he 
wishes  that  his  neighbour  may  be  happy  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  his  possessions.  The  same  order  of  reform- 
ation is  laid  down  by  the  prophet  in  the  terms  follow- 
ing:  "Wash  ye,  make  you  clean,  put  aicay  the 
"  evil  of  your  doings  from  before  mine  eyes,  cease 
"  to  do  evil,  learn  to  do  u•ell,',,  Isa.  i.  16,  17.  And 
again,  "  Hate  the  evil  and  love  the  good,,r  Amos 
v.  15. 

From  the  preceding  examples,  in  conjunction  with 
the  3d  and  4th  commandments,  which  are  expressed 
in  a  direct  or  positive  form,  it  plainly  appears,  that 
the  whole  tendency  and  design  of  the  Decalogue  is  to 
inculcate  the  same  principles  of  love  to  God  and  love 
to  man,  as  are  so  earnestly  recommended  in  the  Gos- 
pel. But  since  man  cannot  of  himself,  or  by  virtue 
of  any  power  belonging  to  himself,  either  shun  evils 
as  sins,  or  perform  any  act  that  is  really  good  in  the 
sight  of  God,  and  yet  he  is  called  upon  to  do  both  the 
one  and  the  other,  it  follows,  that  the  duty  required 
of  him  consists  in  willing,  thinking,  and  acting,  ap- 
parently of  himself,  but  in  reality  from  the  Lord ; 
that  is,  under  a  full  acknowledgment,  that  both  the 
inclination  and  the  power  to  obey  his  will,  are  con- 
stantly derived  from  him  alone.  It  is  therefore  writ- 
ten in  the  Gospel,  "  A  man  can  take  nothing,  except 
"  it  be  given  him  from  heaven"  John  iii.  27.  "  He 
"  that  abideth  in  me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bring- 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


49 


"  cth  forth  much  fruit :  for  without  me  ye  can  do  no- 
"  thing,"  John  xv.  5. 


XV.  Good  and  Truth. 

AS  the  divine  essence  itself  is  capable  of  being  dis- 
tinguished into  two  distinct  principles  of  life,  viz.  di- 
vine love  and  divine  wisdom,  or  divine  good  and  di- 
vine truth,  which  yet  in  the  Lord  are  perfectly  one ; 
so  in  heaven,  in  the  church,  and  even  in  nature,  every 
thing  that  exists  in  a  state  of  order,  bears  some  rela- 
tion to  the  good  and  truth  proceeding  from  the  Lord. 
In  heaven  these  two  principles  arc  united,  as  in  a 
kind  of  marriage  ;  and  they  ought  also  to  be  united  in 
every  member  of  the  church  on  earth.  There  is  a 
mutual  tendency  on  the  part  of  each  to  unite  with  the 
other  ;  and  in  those  who  are  regenerated,  they  are  ac- 
tually united  ;  but  not  so  in  the  unregenerate. 

Truth  from  the  Word,  and  from  other  instructive 
writings,  enters  into  the  human  mind  by  an  external 
way,  chiefly  by  seeing  and  hearing:  but  good  from  the 
Lord  enters  by  an  internal  way,  and  endeavours  to 
elevate  the  truth  previously  received  to  itself,  and 
thus  to  give  it  life  :  for  until  it  is  so  elevated,  it  is 
merely  natural,  and  destitute  of  spiritual  life. 

In  the  first  stages  of  regeneration,  man  is  chiefly 
under  the  influence  of  truth,  or  at  least  of  what  ap- 
pears to  him  to  be  such  :  for  by  truth  he  learns  to 
know  the  nature  and  quality  of  evil,  as  well  as  of 
good,  together  with  the  necessity  of  shunning  the  one, 
and  pursuing  the  other.  But  in  the  last  stage  of  re- 
generation, he  is  placed  under  the  more  immediate 
influence  of  good  ;  and  from  this  he  perceives  and 
loves  the  truth.  Arrived  at  this  state,  man  is  said  to 
be  regenerated,  the  good  and  the  true  are  united  in 
e  2  • 


50 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


him,  and  he  is  become  a  subject  of  the  heavenly  mar- 
riage. 

There  are  many  varieties  of  good,  which  may  ali 
be  comprehended  in  the  general  division  into  celestial, 
spiritual,  and  natural  good.  The  two  first  carry  with 
them  a  saving  power  ;  but  the  last  possesses  no  such 
power,  unless  it  be  receptive  of,  and  qualified  by,  a 
certain  degree  of  spiritual  or  celestial  life.  There  are 
also  many  varieties  of  truth  ;  every  truth,  that  is 
really  and  spiritually  such,  being  either  directly  or 
indirectly  derived  from  good,  and  at  the  same  time  a 
form  thereof.  But  many  things  appear  to  be  good 
and  true,  which  yet  in  reality  are  not,  or  at  least  not 
in  the  degree  at  first  apprehended  :  hence  a  further 
distinction  may  be  made  between  genuine  good  and 
truth,  and  such  as  are  only  apparent.  This  may  be 
illustrated  by  a  most  familiar  mode  of  expression 
adopted  in  regard  to  natural  things.  Both  in  speak- 
ing and  writing,  nothing  is  more  common,  than  to 
ascribe  motion  to  the  sun  in  it's  rising  and  setting, 
which  yet  belongs  only  to  the  earth.  So  in  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  it  is  frequently  said,  that  God  is  angry, 
punishes,  casts  into  hell,  and  the  like;  when  yet  those 
expressions  are  to  be  interpreted  in  reference  to  the 
wicked,  and  not  to  the  Lord,  who  is  pure  love  and 
mercy  towards  all  his  creatures.  The  former  then  is 
an  apparent  truth,  and  the  latter  a  genuine  truth. 
The  kinds  and  qualities  of  each  are  discernible  to  an 
enlightened  understanding,  acting  under  the  influence 
of  a  pure  affection. 

What  has  been  said  of  good  and  truth,  may  be 
justly  applied  in  a  reversed  sense  to  evil  and  false- 
hood. For  as  every  thing  in  the  universe,  which  exists 
according  to  divine  order,  has  relation  to  good  and 
truth,  so  every  thing,  which  exists  contrary  to  divine 
order,  has  relation  to  evil  and  falsehood.   And  again, 


TRUE  8HRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


51 


as  good  loves  to  be  united  with  truth,  and  truth  with 
good,  so  evil  desires  to  be  united  with  falsehood,  and 
falsehood  with  evil.  Lastly,  as  all  wisdom  and  un- 
derstanding arise  from  the  union  of  good  and  truth, 
so  all  insanity  and  folly  arise  from  the  union  of  evil 
and  falsehood.  This  union  is  called  the  infernal  mar- 
riage, but  the  former  is  called  the  celestial  marriage. 


XVI.  The  Will  and  the  Understanding. 

MAN  possesses  two  faculties,  which  constitute  his 
life  ;  one  is  called  will,  the  other  understanding. 
They  are  indeed  distinct  from  each  other,  but  yet  so 
formed  that  they  may  become  one  ;  and  when  they  are 
united,  they  are  called  the  mind.  The  human  mind, 
therefore,  consists  of  these  two  faculties  5  and  in  it 
resides  all  the  life  of  man. 

As  all  things  in  the  universe,  which  exist  according 
to  divine  order,  have  relation  to  good  and  truth,  so  all 
things  in  man  have  relation  to  his  will  and  under- 
standing. Whatever  is  good  in  him,  belongs  to,  or  is 
received  by,  his  will ;  aud  whatever  is  true  in  him, 
belongs  to,  or  is  received  by,  his  understanding.  In 
like  manner  love  and  wisdom,  charity  and  faith,  have 
their  proper  residence  in  the  will  and  understanding  : 
for  love  and  charity  have  relation  to  good,  and  wis- 
dom and  faith  have  relation  to  truth.  All  affections 
likewise  belong  to  the  will,  and  all  thoughts  to  the 
understanding. 

The  union  of  the  will  and  the  understanding  is  like 
that  of  good  and  truth  ;  they  being  joined  together  in 
a  similar  kind  of  marriage.  As  therefore  good  con- 
stitutes the  interior  essence  of  a  thing,  and  truth  it's 
exterior  form,  so  the  will  in  man  may  be  considered 
as  the  very  essence  of  his  life,  and  his  understanding 


5  a 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


the  existence  derived  from  that  essence,  or  the  form 
whereby  the  will  renders  itself  visible  and  apparent. 

These  remarks,  however,  apply  only  to  those,  with 
whom  the  will  is  receptive  of  good,  and  the  under- 
standing receptive  of  truth.  With  all  such  the  celes- 
tial marriage  has  place.  But  with  those,  whose  will 
and  understanding  are  under  the  influence  of  evil  and 
falsehood,  the  infernal  marriage  is  already  formed  j 
which  will  sooner  or  later  be  the  case  also  with  those 
who  have  a  divided  mind,  or  who  receiving  truth  in 
their  understanding,  yet  in  their  hearts  continue  in 
the  delights  of  evil. 

By  nature  indeed  the  will  of  every  man  inclines  to 
evil,  and  his  understanding  to  what  is  false.  But  he 
is  so  constituted,  that  his  understanding  is  capable  of 
being  elevated  above  his  will,  and  of  perceiving  truth, 
even  while  the  affections  of  his  will  are  immersed  in 
evil.  By  this  faculty  or  power,  which  is  peculiar  to 
man,  and  distinguishes  him  from  the  brute  animals,  he 
is  enabled  to  see  what  is  right,  and  just,  and  good  ; 
and  if  he  then  submit  himself  to  the  dictates  of  divine 
truth,  and  put  a  check  to  the  disorderly  appetites  of 
his  corrupt  nature,  he  v  ill  gradually  acquire  a  new 
will,  together  with  a  new  understanding,  and  will 
thereby  be  prepared  for  the  enjoyment  of  eternal  hap- 
piness. 


XVII.   The  Internal  and  the  External  Man. 

THE  mind  of  man  is  both  internal  and  external  : 
by  the  internal  he  has  communication  with  heaven 
and  the  spiritual  world  in  general  ;  and  by  the  ex- 
ternal, he  has  communication  with  the  natural  world. 
In  addition  to  which  internal  and  external  of  the 
mind,  he  is  also  furnished  with  a  material  body, 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


5o 


which  for  a  season  confines  him  to  the  gross  objects  of 
matter,  and  sense,  and  space,  and  time.  "With  the 
good  man  the  internal  is  in  the  light  and  heat  of  hea- 
ven, which  are  spiritual ;  while  his  external  is  in- 
deed in  the  light  and  heat  of  the  world,  which  are 
natural,  but  at  the  same  time  in  a  state  of  subordina- 
tion to,  and  correspondency  with,  the  internal  :  and 
thus  in  both  respects  he  takes  the  character  of  a  spiri- 
tual man.  But  with  the  wicked  man  the  internal  of 
the  mind  is  in  a  state  of  separation  from  heaven,  and 
so  far  immersed  in  the  delights  and  pleasures  of  sense, 
that  with  respect  both  to  his  internal  and  his  external 
he  is  a  merely  natural  man,  and  has  no  desire  to 
elevate  his  thoughts  and  affections  above  the  things  of 
this  world. 

In  proportion  as  a  man  is  under  the  influence  of 
love  to  the  Lord,  and  love  to  his  neighbour,  he  is  so 
far  in  a  spiritual  internal,  and  from  that  he  thinks 
and  wills,  and  likewise  speaks  and  acts.  But  in  pro- 
portion as  he  is  under  the  influence  of  self-love  and 
the  love  of  the  world,  he  is  so  far  in  a  natural  inter- 
nal, and  from  that  he  thinks  and  wills,  and  likewise 
speaks  and  acts.  The  spiritually-internal  man,  or  he 
in  whom  the  spiritual  internal  is  open,  believes  in  the 
Lord,  in  the  Word,  in  a  life  after  death,  in  a  heaven 
and  a  hell,  and  in  the  things  relating  to  the  church. 
But  the  naturally-internal  man,  or  he  in  whom  the 
spiritual  internal  is  closed,  and  who  is  therefore  a 
sensual  man,  believes  nothing  but  what  he  can  see 
with  his  eyes,  and  feel  with  his  hands  :  thus  he  is  se- 
duced by  his  senses,  and  is  in  mere  fallacies  as  to 
every  thing  relating  to  the  Lord,  to  a  state  of  immor- 
tality, to  heaven,  and  to  the  church. 

As  man  possesses  both  an  external  and  an  internal 
mind,  so  has  he  an  exterior  and  an  interior  memory, 
that  is,  a  natural  and  a  spiritual  memory.    By  means 


54 


A    COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


of  the  natural  memory  he  acquires  and  retains  the 
knowledge  of  words  and  expressions  of  speech,  like- 
wise of  the  various  objects  which  surround  him.  But 
by  means  of  the  spiritual  memory  he  acquires  and  re- 
tains interior  ideas,  and  is  hence  able  to  think  and 
speak  intellectually  and  rationally  :  for  all  that  a  man 
has  thought,  spoken,  and  done,  and  all  that  he  has 
heard  and  seen,  however  such  things  may  have  va- 
nished from  his  exterior  memory,  are  inscribed  in  his 
interior  memory,  as  in  a  book  ;  and  therefore  in  the 
Sacred  Sripture  this  latter  is  called  man's  book  of 
life,  which  will  be  laid  open  after  death,  anil  accord- 
ing to  the  things  written  in  which  he  will  then  be 
judged. 

In  short,  the  external  memory,  together  with  all 
things  belonging  to  the  external  man,  are  intended  to 
be  subservient  to  the  internal,  by  laying  a  basis  or 
ground-work  in  the  natural  life,  upon  which  man 
may  hereafter  erect  for  himself  a  superstructure  suited 
to  his  future  spiritual  state  of  existence,  and  to  that 
capacity  implanted  within  him,  by  virtue  of  which 
his  mind  may  be  perpetually  improving  even  to  eter- 
nity. 


XVIII.  Love  in  general ;  including  Love  to  the  Lord, 
and  Love  to  our  Neighbour  ;  also  the  Love  of  Self , 
and  the  Love  of  the  World. 

THE  very  life  of  man  consists  in  his  love;  and 
whatsoever  is  the  quality  of  his  love,  such  is  his  life, 
yea  such  is  the  whole  man.  But  it  is  the  ruling  or 
predominant  love,  which  makes  the  man.  This  love 
has  many  subordinate  loves,  which  are  derived  from 
it,  and  which  on  many  occasions  put  on  a  different 
kind  of  aspect  from  their  parent  love  :  but  still  they  all 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


59 


belong  to  the  ruling  love,  and  together  with  it  con- 
stitute as  it  were  one  kingdom,  in  which  the  ruling 
love  is  the  king  and  head,  directing  all,  from  first  to 
last,  to  the  end  and  object  loved. 

Whatsoever  a  man  loves  above  all  things,  may  be 
said  to  be  continually  present  in  his  thought,  and  also 
in  his  will,  and  to  constitute  his  essential  life  :  for  to 
that  he  is  ever  tending,  and  by  that  he  is  ever  re- 
gulating his  conduct,  in  the  smallest  as  well  as  in  the 
greatest  of  his  concerns.  By  this  love  he  is  distin- 
guished from  all  other  men;  and  according  to  this  will 
be  his  heaven,  if  he  be  a  good  man,  or  his  hell,  if  a 
bad  man  :  for  it  is  his  will,  his  proprium,  and  his  very 
nature,  or  the  real  esse  of  his  life  ;  and  cannot  be 
changed  after  death,  because  it  is  identified  with  the 
man  himself. 

There  are  two  universal  loves,  from  which  flow  all 
goods  and  truths,  as  from  their  proper  fountains  ;  these 
are  love  to  the  Lord,  and  love  towards  our  neigh- 
bour; and  these  two,  when  received  by  man,  and 
made  the  ruling  principles  of  his  life,  constitute  hea- 
ven in  him,  and  also  the  church.  By  love  to  the 
Lord  is  not  meant  a  love  directed  to  him  merely  as  a 
person,  without  regard  to  Ids  divine  attributes  and 
perfections,  but  a  love  of  the  divine  good  and  divine 
truth  which  proceed  from  him  :  and  such  love  is  to  be 
found  only  with  those,  who  have  his  commandments 
written  in  their  hearts,  and  who  delight  to  do  good 
purely  for  the  sake  of  good.  Neither  is  love  to  our 
neighbour,  properly  speaking,  a  love  directed  to  his 
person  merely  as  such,  but  only  so  far  as  he  is  re- 
ceptive of  divine  truth,  and  thereby  of  heavenly  life, 
from  the  Word.  So  that  in  each  of  these  cases,  but 
in  different  degrees,  love  has  for  it's  object  the  divine 
good  and  divine  truth,  as  proceeding  from  the  Lord, 
and  as  received  by  man.    Hence  the  Lord,  when  in- 


56 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


structing  his  disciples  in  the  true  nature  of  love,  says, 
"  He  that  hath  my  commandments,  and  keepeth  them, 
"  he  it  is  that  loveth  me.  If  a  man  love  me,  he  will 
<«  keep  my  words.  He  that  loveth  me  not,  keepefk  not 
"  my  sayings,"  John  xiv.  21,  23,  24.  And  again, 
"  If  ye  keep  my  commandments,  ye  shall  abide  in  my 
M  love.  This  is  my  commandment,  That  ye  love  one 
"  another,"  John  xv.  10,  12. 

On  the  other  hand,  there  are,  in  opposition  to  the 
two  loves  above  described,  two  other  universal  loves, 
from  which  flow  all  evils  and  faKes ;  these  are  the 
love  of  self,  and  the  love  of  the  world  :  and  these  two, 
when  thev  become  the  ruling;  principles  of  a  man's 
life,  constitute  hell  in  him  here,  and  hell  both  within 
and  without  him  hereafter.  Self-love  consists  in  wish- 
ing well  to  ourselves  alone,  without  any  concern  for 
the  welfare  of  others,  except  so  far  as  it  may  be  con- 
nected with  our  own.  It  therefore  disregards  the  in- 
terests of  the  church,  of  our  country,  of  the  particular 
society  to  which  we  belong-,  and  of  our  fellow-citizens 
in  general.  It  also  considers  all  other  persons  and 
things  merely  as  subservient  to  it's  own  advantage ; 
and  would,  if  uncontrolled,  usurp  and  exercise  an 
universal  dominion.  It's  offspring  and  companion, 
the  love  of  the  world,  consists  in  a  desire  of  appro- 
priating to  ourselves,  by  any  means  whatever,  that 
which  belongs  to  another ;  as  also  in  placing  our  af- 
fections on  riches,  and  in  suffering  the  world,  with 
it's  delights  and  pleasures,  to  seduce  our  mind  from 
love  to  our  neighbour,  and  thereby  from  love  to  the 
Lord. 

From  a  due  attention  to  the  different  kinds  of  love, 
and  to  their  innumerable  varieties  and  derivations, 
together  with  the  delights  belonging  to  each,  we  may 
discover  what  is  the  true  nature  of  love  both  in  gene- 
ral and  in  particular.    And  seeing  this,  we  shall  be 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


57 


the  better  qualified  to  regulate  and  keep  in  subjection 
those  selfish  and  worldly  affections,  which  have  too 
long  had  the  ascendency  in  our  minds,  and  which  are 
the  only  obstacles  to  our  loving  the  Lord  above  all 
things,  and  our  neighbour  as  ourselves. 


XIX.  Faith. 

FAITH  in  general  may  be  defined  a  belief  in  the 
truths  of  divine  revelation,  and  that  whosoever  liveth 
well,  and  believeth  aright,  will  be  saved  by  the 
Lord.  It  therefore  implies  a  knowledge  concerning 
the  Lord,  his  descent  from  heaven,  his  birth  in  the 
world,  his  miraculous  works,  his  temptations,  trials, 
and  sufferings,  even  to  the  passion  of  the  cross,  to- 
gether with  his  successive  victories  over  the  powers  of 
darkness,  and  finally  his  resurrection,  and  ascension 
into  heaven.  Yet  the  mere  knowledge  of  these 
things,  with  many  others  relating  to  the  Lord,  to  the 
church,  to  heaven,  and  to  eternal  life,  does  not  of  it- 
self constitute  a  saving  faith  :  for  so  long  as  truths  re- 
main only  in  the  understanding,  as  subjects  of  thought 
and  science,  they  do  not  carry  with  them  the  power 
of  salvation  ;  but  when  they  are  embraced  by  the  af- 
fections of  the  heart,  and  enter  into  the  actions  of  the 
life,  they  then  constitute  a  true  and  saving  faith,  be- 
ing at  the  same  time  accompanied  with  a  firm  trust 
and  confidence  in  the  divine  mercy  and  protection  of 
the  Lord.  Hence  the  Lord  says,  «  If  ye  know 
«<  these  tilings,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them,''''  John 
xiii.  17. 

As  faith,  to  be  truly  such,  must  be  in  agreement 
with  the  genuine  sense  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  and 
not  founded  on  an  erroneous  interpretation  of  them,  it 
is  of  the  first  importance,  that  a  just  and  correct  view 

F 


58 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


be  formed  of  the  person  and  character  of  Him,  who  is 
it's  proper  object.  It  was  before  observed,  under  the 
article  of  Redemption,  that  Jehovah  God  himself 
came  down  from  heaven  into  the  world,  for  this  pur- 
pose, among  others,  namely,  of  rendering  himself  vi- 
sible, and  accessible  to  the  human  mind  :  which  in- 
terposition of  mercy  arose  from  the  necessity  of  the 
case,  inasmuch  as  otherwise  man  would  have  perished 
eternally,  in  consequence  of  his  entire  removal  from 
God.  Hence  it  follows,  that  a  true  saving  faith,  on 
the  part  of  man,  must  be  directed  to  the  Lord  God 
the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  because  under  this  name 
and  character  the  great  Jehovah  appeared  among  men, 
and  because  in  and  by  no  other  form  can  he  be  ap- 
proached, worshipped,  and  adored. 

It  is  therefore  of  all  things  necessary,  that  a  true 
faith  be  established  in  the  mind,  of  which  the  first  es- 
sential is  an  acknowledgment,  that  our  Lord  and  Sa- 
viour Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God  ;  by  which  we 
are  to  understand,  that  the  Humanity,  in  which  he 
appeared,  was  conceived  of  and  from  the  Divinity,  by 
a  virtue  or  power  proceeding  from  Jehovah  himself; 
on  which  account  the  essential  Divinity  is  in  the  Sa- 
cred Scripture  constantly  called  the  Father,  while  the 
Divine  Humanity  is  called  the  Son.  This  first  essen- 
tial of  a  true  faith  is  confirmed  by  the  following  pas- 
sages :  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his 
"  only -begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him, 
«  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,"  John 
iii.  16.  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son,  hath  ever- 
«  lasting  life  :  and  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall 
«  not  see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him," 
John  iii.  36. 

The  next  essential  characteristic  of  a  true  faith, 
which  springs  out  of  the  former,  when  exalted  and 
perfected  by  the  truths  of  the  Word,  is  the  further  ae- 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


99 


knowledgment,  that  the  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  Only  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  as  being 
One  with  the  Father,  that  is  to  say,  being  really  and 
truly  the  Father  Himself  in  the  Humanity.  This  ac- 
knowledgment arises  in  the  mind  in  consequence  of  a 
more  interior  discernment  of  divine  revelation,  and 
may  be  considered  as  the  crown  of  all  faith,  which 
distinguishes  and  enriches  the  New  Jerusalem  beyond 
every  preceding  church.  It  is  the  goodly  pearl  of  in- 
estimable value,  to  obtain  which  every  thing  else 
ought  to  be  sold,  every  spurious  idea  of  the  Lord  for 
ever  abolished  from  the  mind.  It  is  a  treasure  in  the 
heart,  and  a  jewel  in  the  mouth.  It  is  also  the  new 
wedding-garment,  without  which  no  guest  can  hereaf- 
ter be  admitted  to  the  marriage-supper  of  the  Lamb, 
but  clothed  in  which  every  believer  will  meet  with  a 
welcome  reception. 

In  confirmation  of  this  highest  character  of  faith  in 
the  Lord,  as  the  Only  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  and 
one  and  the  same  with  the  Father,  we  read  as  fol- 
lows :  «  Unto  us  a  Child  is  born,  unto  us  a  Son  is 
"  given,  and  the  government  shall  be  upon  his 
"  shoulder  :  and  his  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful, 
"  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting  Fa- 
"  ther,  the  Prince  of  Peace,"  Isa.  ix.  6.  "  Philip 
"  saith  unto  Jesus,  Lord,  shew  us  the  Father,  and  it 
"  sufficeth  us.  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Have  J  been 
"  so  long  time  with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not  known 
«  me,  Philip  ?  He  that  hath  seen  me,  hath  seen  the 
«  Father^  John  xiv.  8,  9.  "  I  and  my  Father  are 
"  one,"  John  x.  30. 

But  faith  further  implies  a  firm  belief  in,  and  a  ra- 
tional comprehension  of,  the  other  great  truths  of  di- 
vine revelation,  united  with  an  affection  for  them 
purely  on  their  own  account,  because  they  teach  us 
how  to  love  and  serve  the  Lord,  and  how  to  be  use- 


60 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


ful  to  mankind.  Such  is  the  character  and  quality  of 
the  faith  professed  by  the  new  and  true  christian 
church,  called  the  New  Jerusalem,  which  being  deriv- 
ed from  the  Word,  and  consequently  from  the  Lord, 
becomes  an  essential  medium  of  conjunction  with  him, 
that  is,  of  salvation  and  eternal  life. 

From  this  view  of  the  faith  of  the  New  Church,  it 
may  appear  how  widely  it  differs  from  that  which  has 
been  commonly  received  hitherto.  For  while  the 
faith  of  the  former  church  teaches,  that  Three  Divine 
Persons  have  existed  from  eternity,  each  of  whom 
singly  or  by  himself  is  God  and  Lord,  the  faith  of 
the  New  Church  teaches,  that  only  One  Divine  Per- 
son, consequently  only  One  God,  hath  existed  from 
eternity.  Again,  the  faith  of  the  former  church  is  di- 
rected towards  a  God  invisible  and  unapproachable, 
with  whom  therefore  there  can  be  no  conjunction,  the 
idea  formed  of  him  being  like  that  of  shapeless  spirit, 
which  differs  but  little,  if  at  all,  from  that  of  ether  or 
wind  :  whereas  the  faith  of  the  New  Church  is  direct- 
ed towards  a  God  visible  to  the  mental  eye,  and  ca- 
pable of  approach,  with  whom  therefore  there  may  be 
conjunction,  the  idea  formed  of  him  being  that  of  a 
Divine  Man,  in  whom  is  the  divine  essence,  as  the 
soul  is  in  the  body;  for  the  One  God,  who  existed 
from  eternity,  was  actually  made  Man  in  time.  The 
faith  of  the  former  church  further  supposes,  that  God 
the  Son  came  into  the  world,  in  order  to  appease  the- 
wrath  of  the  Father,  and  make  satisfaction  for  the  sins 
of  the  human  race,  by  suffering  and  dying  in  their 
stead  :  whereas  the  faith  of  the  New  Church  teaches, 
that  the  One  Jehovah  himself,  out  of  pure  love  and 
mercy  to  mankind,  descended  as  the  Word  or  divine 
truth,  and  became  incarnate  ;  that  the  Humanity,  in 
which  he  appeared,  is  called  the  Son  of  God,  while 
the  Divinity  within  it  is  called  the  Father ;  and  that, 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


61 


on  the  accomplishment  of  the  end  for  which  he  came 
into  the  world,  viz.  the  subjugation  of  the  power  o' 
hell,  or  evil,  he  laid  down  the  mere  humanity  by  the 
passion  of  the  cross,  and  rose  again  in  his  Glorified 
Humanity,  with  which  he  returned  by  ascension  into 
his  former  state  of  pure  Divinity.  The  faith  of  the 
former  church  also  teaches,  that  God  the  Father  was 
and  still  is  induced  to  become  merciful,  by  a  view  of 
his  Son's  sufferings,  agonies,  and  death,  thus  for  the 
sake  of  his  Son,  and  not  from  any  inherent  essential 
quality  of  love  and  mercy  in  himself:  but  the  faith  of 
the  New  Church,  on  the  contrary,  teaches,  that  the 
one  merciful  Parent  of  his  creatures  needed  not  to 
have  any  sufferings,  agonies,  or  death,  still  less  those 
of  an  innocent  person,  his  own  Son,  presented  before 
him,  and  pleaded,  in  order  to  excite  and  awaken  his 
compassion,  because  he  is  in  his  own  nature,  and  ever 
was,  an  overflowing  fountain  of  divine  love,  and  de- 
lights to  promote  the  happiness  of  all  his  children 
without  exception. 

Numerous  other  instances  of  disagreement  between 
the  faith  of  the  former  church,  and  the  faith  of  the 
New,  might  be  mentioned  ;  but  these  are  amply  suffi- 
cient to  shew  the  great  necessity  of  discriminating 
truth  from  error,  a  just  interpretation  of  the  Sacred 
Writings  from  one  that  degrades  the  Divine  Majesty, 
and  throws  an  odium  on  his  dealings  with  mankind. 
A  true  faith  must  be  founded  on  the  genuine,  not  the 
apparent,  truths  of  the  Word  :  and  such  genuine 
truths  constantly  display  the  divine  attributes  and 
perfections  in  a  glory  worthy  of  him,  from  whom  they 
proceed.  A  true  faith  must  also,  in  consequence  of 
it's  high  origin,  and  near  affinity  with  the  light  of 
heaven  itself,  be  possessed  of  a  superior  capacity  to 
unite  with  charity,  than  a  faith  less  pure  ;  and  for 
the  same  reason  it  must  have  a  still  greater  tendency 
f  2 


82 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


to  elevate  man  from  the  love  of  evil,  and  thereby  to 
introduce  him  into  the  happiness  of  eternal  life. 


XX.  Charity  and  Good  Works. 

IF  a  true  faith  be  so  important  an  acquisition  to  the 
church,  equally  essential  to  it  is  charity,  or  the  love 
of  one's  neighbour,  which  must  ever  go  hand  in  hand 
With  faith,  in  order  to  produce  good  and  useful  works, 
their  legitimate  offspring. 

It  is  a  prevailing  opinion,  that  charity  consists  in 
giving  to  the  poor,  relieving  the  distressed,  providing 
for  widows  and  orphans,  erecting  or  supporting  hos- 
pitals and  other  edifices  for  the  reception  of  the  sick, 
the  stranger,  and  the  fatherless,  particularly  in  con- 
tributing towards  the  building,  ornamenting,  and  en- 
dowing of  churches,  or  other  places  of  worship,  &c. 
But  these  things  may,  or  may  not,  be  acts  of  genuine 
charity,  according  to  the  motive,  intention,  and  state 
of  life,  of  the  person  who  performs  them.  For  they 
may  be  done  under  the  influence  of  vain-glory,  the 
love  of  fame,  external  friendship,  mere  natural  in- 
clination, hypocrisy,  or  some  other  selfish  consider- 
ation and  motive  :  or  they  may  be  performed  from  a 
pure  and  genuine  love  to  society,  and  the  individuals 
who  compose  it.  Real  charity  consists  in  wishing 
well  to  others  from  the  heart,  and  at  the  same  time 
in  acting  justly,  faithfully,  and  uprightly,  from  consci- 
entious motives,  in  whatever  office,  business,  or  em- 
ployment, a  person  is  engaged,  and  with  whomsoever 
he  hath  any  dealing  or  connection.  Whether  he  be  a 
king,  a  magistrate,  a  priest,  a  judge,  a  merchant,  a 
tradesman,  a  mechanic,  a  labourer,  a  soldier,  or  a 
seaman,  each  one  has  a  duty  to  perform  in  society  ; 
and  whosoever  conducts  himself  in  his  proper  sphere 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


3S 


of  life  with  integrity  and  sincerity,  as  above  stated, 
free  from  all  fraud  and  deceit,  such  an  one  is  in  the 
exercise  of  genuine  charity,  and  all  his  actions  are 
good  works. 

The  exercise  of  charity,  however,  or  love  to  our 
neighbour,  ought  to  be  exercised  with  prudence  and 
discretion,  according  to  the  different  degrees  of  good- 
ness, which  distinguish  different  men  :  for  goodness 
from  the  Lord  is,  properly  speaking,  the  neighbour 
that  is  to  be  loved  and  respected  in  all.  Nor  is  our 
charity  to  be  confined  to  men  as  individuals  only,  but 
ought  to  extend  to  the  various  societies  with  which 
vve  may  be  connected,  especially  to  our  country,  to 
the  church  and  kingdom  of  the  Lord,  and  above  all  to 
the  Lord  himself,  from  whom  is  derived  every  thing 
that  deserves  to  De  an  object  of  our  love  and. esteem. 
This  law  of  love  and  charity  is  thus  laid  down  in  the 
Gospel  :  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all 
"  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy 
«  strength,  and  with  all  thy  mind  ;  and  thy  neighbour 
"  as  thyself,"  Luke  x.  27.  And  again,  "  All  things 
"  whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should  do  to  you, 
V  do  ye  even  so  to  them  :  for  this  is  the  law  and  the 
«  prophets,"  Matt.  vii.  12. 

Charity  therefore  is  an  internal  affection,  proceed- 
ing from  the  Lord  as  it's  proper  fountain,  and  prompt- 
ing a  man  to  do  good,  and  to  act  uprightly,  from  a 
pure  love  of  goodness  and  uprightness,  without  any 
regard  to  recompense  or  reward  ;  for  it  brings  it's 
own  reward  along  with  it,  and  in  it's  exercise  is  at- 
tended with  the  highest  and  purest  satisfaction  of 
life.  A  true  faith,  in  which  is  the  spirit  of  wisdom 
and  understanding,  points  out  how  such  benevolence 
and  good-will  is  to  be  directed  or  performed  :  and  the 
actual  exercise  of  both,  in  the  just  and  faithful  dis- 
charge of  all  our  relative  duties,  and  on  every  occa- 


64 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


sion  that  arises,  according  to  our  ability,  and  the  se- 
veral states,  qualities,  and  necessities  of  our  neigh- 
bour, as  before  observed,  constitutes  good  works,  or 
the  life  of  charity  and  faith. 

As  a  further  illustration  of  the  true  nature  of  good 
works,  or  a  good  life,  it  may  be  remarked,  that  in  the 
external  acts  of  a  man  are  contained,  to  a  certain 
degree,  all  the  powers  and  energies  of  his  body  ;  and 
these  again  are  put  into  motion  by  a  concurrence,  to 
a  certain  degree,  of  all  the  powers  and  energies  of  his 
mind,  whether  they  belong  to  the  province  of  the 
■will,  or  to  that  of  the  understanding.  The  affection 
or  love  first  excites  the  thought ;  these  in  conjunction 
influence  the  body  ;  and  all  together  produce  the  ex- 
ternal act.  So  that  the  whole  man,  from  the  first 
principles  of  his  life  to  the  last  effects,  is  completely 
represented  and  seen  in  his  works.  If  now  the  first 
moving  affection  be  that  of  love  to  the  Lord,  and  love 
to  our  neighbour,  this  will  excite  every  thing  in  the 
understanding  capable  of  promoting  it's  end  or  pur- 
pose ;  and  these  descending  together  into  the  body,, 
will  enlist  into  their  service  all  such  faculties  and 
powers,  as  they  may  there  find  suitable  for  bringing 
them  into  full  exercise  and  effect.  In  this  case  the 
acts  produced  will  be  good  works,  because  they  are 
plainly  the  result,  and  as  it  were  the  very  body,  of 
the  benevolent  intention,  which  animates  them  as 
their  life  and  soul.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  first 
spring  of  action  in  the  will  be  self-love,  and  the  love 
of  the  world,  then  all  the  thoughts  of  the  understand- 
ing, and  all  the  powers  of  the  body,  will  concur  in 
giving  effect  to  such  love  :  in  which  case  all  the  acts- 
produced  will  be  evil  works,  howsoever  they  may  put 
on  the  external  appearance  of  good-will  or  charity. 
It  is  for  this  reason  that  the  Scriptures  so  uniformly 
and  constantly  hold  out  to  the  view  of  the  reader,  that 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


G;3 


every  man  will  be  dealt  with  hereafter  according  to 
the  nature  and  quality  of  his  works.  "  The  Son  of 
«  Man  shall  come  in  the  glory  of  his  Father,  with  his 
w  angels ;  and  then  he  shall  reward  every  man  accord- 
"  ing  to  his  works,"  Matt.  xvi.  27.  "  I  saw  the  dead, 
"  small  and  great,  stand  before  God  ;  and  they  were 
"judged  every  man  according  to  their  works,"  Apoc. 
xx.  12,  13. 

We  see  then  how  charity  and  faith  are  united  to- 
gether, and  included  in  good  works.  But  it  must 
ever  be  remembered,  that  in  their  origin,  progression, 
and  final  effect,  they  are  still  of  and  from  the  Lord 
alone,  he  being  in  them  as  their  soul  and  principal 
cause,  Avhile  man  is  only  the  instrument,  but  an  orga- 
nized one,  of  bringing  them  forth.  Hence  it  is,  that, 
as  all  the  good,  which  is  done  by  man,  actually  pro- 
ceeds from  the  Lord,  man  only  co-operating  with  him 
apparently  of  himself,  as  an  organized  instrument  in 
the  hands  of  the  principal  Agent,  no  idea  of  human 
merit  can  for  a  moment  be  admitted  ;  but  the  inclina- 
tion, the  ability,  and  the  merit,  are  wholly  and  solely 
ascribed  to  him,  from  whom  flows  all  that  is  good  in 
the  affection,  all  that  is  true  in  the  thought,  and  all 
that  is  beneficial  in  the  act. 


XXI.  Man  an  Organ  of  Life. 

IT  is  supposed  by  many,  that  perceptions,  thoughts, 
And  ideas,  together  with  the  various  affections,  of 
which  man  is  susceptible,  are  either  vague  properties 
inherent  in  him,  or  else  flow  into  him  as  so  many  ra- 
diations of  light  and  heat,  without  there  being  any 
substance  or  form  within  him  capable  of  receiving, 
modifying,  and  permanently  detaining  them.  Hence 
they  imagine,  that  thoughts  and  affections,  like  winged 


66 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


nothings,  fly  up  and  down  in  the  region  of  the  mind, 
just  as  vapours  float  about  in  the  atmosphere ;  and 
that,  by  some  means  or  other,  perfectly  unknown  to 
them,  he  is  able  to  catch  them  as  they  pass  by  or 
through  him  :  never  once  suspecting,  that  the  human 
mind  is  a  real  substance  and  form,  and  that  all  the 
varieties  of  affection  and  thought  belonging  to  it,  are 
nothing  else  but  changes  of  it's  state  and  form,  while 
receiving  the  communicated  life  of  love  and  wisdom 
from  the  Lord. 

To  form  a  just  conception  of  what  is  understood  by 
man's  being  an  organ  of  life,  both  as  to  his  internal 
and  his  external  form,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  advert 
to  the  eye,  the  ear,  the  tongue,  and  the  other  organs 
of  sense  in  the  body.  When  the  light  of  the  sun 
flows  in^>  the  eye,  which  is  an  organized  form  recep- 
tive of  it,  a  certain  change  or  modification  is  effected 
in  it's  different  membranes,  humours,  vessels,  and 
nerves,  and  natural  sight  is  produced,  not  as  a  thing 
separate  from  the  substance  of  the  eye,  but  as  it's 
proper  function  and  exercise.  When  sound,  which  is 
a  tremulous  motion  of  the  air,  enters  the  ear,  vibra- 
tions are  communicated  from  one  part  of  it's  internal 
structure  to  another,  and  thus  changes  or  modifica- 
tions in  the  state  and  form  of  that  organ  take  place, 
the  sensation  or  perception  of  which  is  called  hearing; 
a  faculty  not  separate  from  the  substances  composing 
the  ear,  but  constituting  it's  function  and  exercise. 
So  again,  when  substances  of  different  qualities,  as 
sweet,  sour,  bitter,  &c.  are  applied  to  the  tongue,  they 
stimulate  the  nervous  papillae,  or  small  glandules, 
situated  on  it's  apex  and  margin,  and  cause  a  change 
in  their  parts,  which  is  perceived  as  the  sensation  of 
taste  ;  a  faculty,  like  the  rest,  not  separate  from  the 
substance  of  it's  proper  organ,  the  tongue,  but  consti- 
tuting its  function  and  exercise.    In  each  of  these 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


67 


cases,  however,  it  is  to  be  remembered,  that  it  is  not 
the  organ  itself  which  perceives,  or  is  sensible  of  any 
change  in  it's  state  and  form,  but  that  it  is  the  mind 
or  spirit  which  sees  with  the  eye,  hears  with  the  ear, 
and  tastes  with  the  tongue  ;  the  same  also  being  true 
in  respect  to  the  other  senses  of  smelling  and  feeling. 

In  like  manner  the  will  anil  understanding  in  man 
are  actual  substances  and  forms,  though  of  the  purest 
quality,  and  so  organized  and  arranged  as  to  be  pro- 
per receptacles  of  love  and  wisdom  from  the  Lord. 
The  affections,  perceptions,  and  thoughts,  which  ap- 
pear to  many  to  rise  up  in  the  mind  as  it  were  out  of 
nothing,  or  to  float  about  in  it  liite  mere  vapours,  ex- 
halations, or  etherial  principles,  without  any  sub- 
stance of  their  own,  are  in  reality  changes,  modifica- 
tions, and  variations  in  the  state  and  form,  not  mere- 
ly of  the  natural  substances  of  the  brain,  but  of  those 
purer  spiritual  substances  also,  of  which  the  human 
mind  is  composed.  For  it  is  impossible,  that  any 
thing  can  be  communicated  to  man,  so  as  to  affect 
him  either  internally  or  externally,  unless  there  be  in 
him  something  substantial,  capable  of  receiving,  per- 
ceiving, and  detaining  it.  All  the  operations  of  the 
mind  are  variations  of  it's  form,  according  to  the 
changes  which  take  place  in  the  state  of  it's  affection  : 
for,  properly  speaking,  affections  are  changes  of  the 
state,  and  thoughts  are  variations  of  the  form.  And 
as  without  the  natural  organic  substance  and  form, 
called  the  eye,  there  can  be  no  sight,  without  the  ear 
no  hearing,  and  without  the  tongue  no  taste  ;  so  in 
like  manner  without  the  spiritual  substance,  called 
the  mind,  including  both,  the  will  and  the  understand- 
ing, there  can  be  no  afection  of  love,  no  perception  of 
wisdom,  and  no  thought  concerning  either  the  one  or 
the  other. 


68 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


This  is  what  is  meant  by  man's  being  an  organ  of 
life,  or  a  form  adapted  to  the  reception  of  love  in  his 
will,  and  of  wisdom  in  his  understanding ;  these  two 
constituting  the  essential  principles  of  life  flowing 
into  him  from  the  Lord.  But  as  he  was  created  to 
be  both  useful  and  happy,  and  these  ends  could  not  be 
attained,  unless  he  were  placed  in  a  condition  favour- 
able to  the  active  exercise  of  his  talents,  in  other 
words,  unless  the  influent  life  appeared  to  him  to  be 
his  own  property,  and  entirely  at  his  own  disposal, 
therefore  such  appearance  was  and  is  granted  him  by 
the  Lord,  yet  under  this  especial  condition,  that  he 
shall  live  in  the  perpetual  acknowledgment,  that  it  is 
not  really  his  own,  but  the  Lord's  in  him,  who  alone 
is  life  in  himself.  This  also  is  agreeable  to  the  Sacred 
Scripture,  which  expressly  teaches,  that  there  is  only 
one  fountain  of  life,  from  which  all  created  beings 
from  moment  to  moment  derive  their  existence  ;  and 
that  the  same  life  is  communicated  to  all  in  the  spiri- 
tual world,  and  to  all  in  the  natural  world,  but  is  re- 
ceived differently  by  each,  according  to  the  quality  of 
the  recipient  subject. 


XXII.  Free-WilL 

IT  is  an  important  doctrine  of  the  true  christian 
religion,  that  man  is  gifted  with,  and  continually  pre- 
served in,  a  state  of  freedom  of  determination  in 
things  spiritual,  equally  as  well  as  in  things  natural ; 
since  without  such  freedom  man  would  possess  neither 
faith  nor  charity ;  nay,  the  Word  itself,  with  all  it's 
injunctions  to  repentance  and  amendment  of  life, 
would  be  of  no  use,  and  consequently  no  church 
could  possibly  exist.  But  by  virtue  of  free-will  in 
spiritual  things,  the  conjunction  of  man  with  the  Lord, 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION'. 


09 


and  of  the  Lord  with  man,  may  be  reciprocally  effect- 
ed ;  and  thus  he  has  the  capacity  of  being  reformed, 
regenerated,  and  finally  saved. 

This  freedom  of  determination,  which  was  origi- 
nally granted  to  man,  and  without  which  he  could  not 
have  been  created  a  man,  nor  subsist  a  single  moment 
as  a  maii,but  would  be  a  kind  of  statue,  or  mere  piece 
of  machinery,  consists  in  the  faculty  or  capacity,  con- 
tinually given  or  rather  lent  to  him,  of  willing  and 
doing,  of  thinking  and  speaking,  in  all  appearance  as 
of  himself.  On  this  account  it  was,  that  two  trees 
were  placed  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  the  tree  of  life, 
and  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  ;  and 
that  he  was  allowed  to  eat  of  the  one,  but  cautioned 
against  eating  of  the  other;  by  which  is  signified, 
that  he  had  the  power  of  turning  himself  either  to 
good,  or  to  evil.  Thus  man,  by  the  abuse  of  his  best 
faculties,  liberty  and  rationality,  became  himself  the 
author  of  evil ;  which  abuse  therefore  can  never  be 
chargeable  upon  the  Giver  of  those  faculties,  as  the 
contrary  doctrine  of  absolute  predestination  and  arbi- 
trary pre-decision  seems  necessarily  to  imply.  But 
we  have  already  spoken  on  this  subject  in  art.  VI.  en- 
titled, The  Origin  of  Evil,  and  the  Fall  of  Man. 

All  liberty  has  relation  to  love,  consequently  to 
the  will,  and  so  to  the  life  of  man.  Hence  whoever 
acts  from  liberty,  appears  to  act  as  from  himself ;  and 
this  appearance  is  equally  the  same,  whether  he  do 
what  is  good,  or  what  is  evil.  To  do  evil  freelv,  is 
called  liberty,  but  it  is  indeed  no  better  than  slavery, 
man  being  in  such  case  a  mere  slave  to  his  corrupt 
appetites  and  passions,  that  is,  to  self-love  ami  the 
love  of  the  world.  But  to  do  good  freelv,  is  true  li- 
berty, because  it  proceeds  from  love  to  the  Loid.  and 
love  to  our  neighbour.  This  is  what  the  Lord 
teaches,  when   he  says,   "  Whosoever  committeth 


70 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


"  sin,  is  the  servant  of  sin  ;  and  the  servant  abideth 
*  not  in  the  house  for  ever;  but  the  Son  abideth  for 
u  ever.  If  the  Son  therefore  shall  make  you  free,  ye 
"  shall  be  free  indeed,"  John  viii.  34  to  36. 

Whatever  is  done  by  man  in  freedom,  becomes  his 
own,  and  remains  with  him.  But  whatever  he  does 
by  the  compulsion  of  another,  being  in  disagreement 
with  his  own  will,  cannot  be  said  to  be  his  own  act, 
but  the  act  of  the  person  who  compels  him.  Hence  it 
is,  that  repentance,  to  be  effectual,  must  be  perform- 
ed by  man,  while  he  is  in  a  state  of  freedom,  undis- 
turbed by  fear:  and  hence  also  a  free  service,  pro- 
ceeding from  a  willing  heart,  is  acceptable  to  the  Lord, 
but  not  a  forced  service  :  wherefore  it  is  written  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  that  "  they  brought  a  willing 
"  offering  unto  Jehovah,  every  man  and  woman,  whose 
"  heart  made  them  willing,"  Exod.  xxxv.  29.  And 
the  Psalmist  David  says,  "  I  will  freely  sacrifice  unto 
"  thee  ;  I  will  praise  thy  name,  O  Jehovah,  for  it  is 
«  good,"  Ps.  liv.  6. 


XXIII.  Repentance. 

REPENTANCE  is  the  beginning  and  foundation 
of  the  church  in  man  ;  and  it  consists  in  a  man's  ex« 
amining  not  only  the  actions  of  his  life,  but  also  the 
intentions  of  his  will,  and  in  abstaining  from  evils, 
because  they  are  sins  against  God.  It  is  not  sufficient 
for  a  man  to  confess  himself  a  sinner  in  general  terms, 
and  to  acknowledge  that  from  head  to  foot  he  is  full 
of  evil,  deserving  of  eternal  damnation,  and  therefore 
unworthy  to  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven  :  for  this  he 
may  do,  and  yet  not  select  one  evil  out  of  all  the 
multitude  within  him,  which  he  is  determined,  by  di- 
vine assistance,  to  resist,  to  shun,  and  to  remove 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


from  his  heart  and  life.  But  he  must  reflect  upon 
what  passes  in  his  mind,  and  observe  what  is  brought 
forth  thence  into  act  or  speech.  Especially  he  must 
examine  the  nature  of  his  delights  and  propensities, 
as  whether  he  feels  a  pleasure  in  any  species  of  hatred, 
revenue,  adultery,  theft,  false  testimony,  detraction, 
or  any  propensity  and  lust  towards  them  ;  also  whether 
he  gives  way  to  a  spirit  of  blasphemy  and  contempt, 
in  relation  to  God,  his  Holy  Word,  and  the  things 
of  the  church.  If  he  refrains  from  any  of  these  evils, 
he  must  further  look  into  himself,  and  narrowly  ex- 
amine whether  it  be  through  fear  of  the  law,  or  of  the 
loss  of  reputation,  health,  friends,  or  the  like  :  and  if 
he  finds,  that  he  resists  and  abstains  from  evils  from 
no  such  external  considerations,  but  purely  because 
they  are  sins,  and  prohibited  by  the  divine  law,  he  is 
then  performing  true,  sincere,  and  effectual  repent- 
ance. 

But  it  is  an  essential  condition  of  such  repentance, 
that  the  Lord  God  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  be  alone 
applied  to  for  power  to  resist  evils  :  for  he  alone  is 
omnipotent,  omniscient,  and  omnipresent;  he  alone  is 
the  God  of  the  church,  all-merciful  and  all-just;  and 
it  is  he  alone  that  can  inspire  the  inclination  and  af- 
fection of  doing  good.  Wherefore  he  himself  says, 
"  Without  me  ye  can  do  nothing,''''  John  xv.  5. 

Repentance  avails,  if  the  penitent  person  be  in  a 
state  of  liberty  ;  but  if  he  repents  in  a  state  of  compul- 
sion, it  is  of  no  avail.  States  of  compulsion  may  be 
various,  such  as  sickness,  dejection  of  spirit  under 
some  great  misfortune,  the  terrors  of  approaching 
death,  and  likewise  all  circumstances  of  sudden  fear, 
which  deprive  a  man  of  reason.  When  bad  men  in 
a  state  of  compulsion  make  promises  of  repentance, 
and  even  begin  the  practice  of  virtue  and  goodness, 
they  generally  return  to  their  former  evil  lives,  when 


72 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


they  are  restored  to  a  state  of  liberty.  But  it  is  other- 
wise with  the  jrood. 

After  a  man  has  examined  himself,  and  acknow- 
ledged his  sin,  and  done  the  work  of  repentance,  he 
ought  to  remain  steady  in  goodness  to  the  end  of  his 
life  :  for  if  he  afterwards  relapse  to  his  former  evil 
life,  and  embrace  it  again,  he  is  then  guilty  of  pro- 
fanation, inasmuch  as  he  unites  evil  with  good, 
whereby  his  last  state  is  worse  than  his  first,  accord- 
ing to  these  words  of  the  Lord  :  "  When  the  unclean 
"  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he  walketh  through  dry 
"  places,  seeking  rest,  and  findeth^none.  Then  he 
"  saith,  I  will  return  into  my  house  from  whence  I 
"  came  out;  and  when  he  is  come,  he  findeth  it 
"  empty,  swept,  and  garnished.  Then  goeth  he,  and 
"  taketh  with  himself  seven  other  spirits  more  wicked 
"  than  himself,  and  they  enter  in  and  dwell  there  : 
"  and  the  last  state  of  that  man  is  worse  than  the  first," 
Matt.  xii.  43  to  45. 


XXIV.    Reformation  and  Regeneration. 

SINCE  man  is  born  with  a  propensity  to  evils  of 
every  kind,  and  yet  was  intended  for  heaven,  it  is 
necessary  that  the  bias,  which  he  has  received  here- 
ditarily from  his  parents,  and  confirmed  by  actual 
life,  be  checked  or  restrained,  and  that  new  inclina- 
tions and  new  affections  of  an  opposite  tendency  be 
gradually  insinuated  into  him.  This  change  of  dis- 
position and  character  is  in  the  Word  called  the  new 
birth,  or  regeneration,  the  several  stages  of  which 
answer  to  those  of  man's  natural  conception,  birth, 
and  education.  The  necessity  also  of  this  change, 
before  man  can  experience  true  heavenly  happiness, 
is  evident  from  our  Lord's  words  to  Nicodemus, 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


73 


••  Verily  verily  I  say  unto  thee,  Except  a  man  be  born 
«  again,  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God,"  John 
iii.  3. 

The  first  part  of  the  new  birth  is  called  reforma- 
tion, and  has  more  immediate  respect  to  the  under- 
standing, and  the  truths  received  by  it,  which  teach 
the  being  of  a  God,  the  existence  of  a  heaven  and  a 
hell,  the  immortality  of  the  human  soul,  what  is  evil, 
and  what  is  good,  and  that  the  one  is  to  be  refused, 
and  the  other  embraced.  In  this  state  man  also 
learns  to  know,  not  only  that  there  is  One  God,  the 
Creator  of  the  universe,  but  that  the  same  God  is  the 
Redeemer  and  Saviour  of  mankind,  and  that  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  is  that  One  God  ;  in  whom  nevertheless 
is  a  divine  trinity  of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit, 
inited  in  one  person,  and  not  divided  into  three 
persons ;  that  his  essential  divinity  is  called  the  Fa- 
ther, his  divine  humanity  the  Son,  and  his  proceeding 
influence  the  Holy  Spirit.  When  man  is  acquainted 
with  these  truths,  he  can  then  acknowledge,  that  all 
faith,  and  all  charity,  and  consequently  all  truth,  and 
all  good,  are  derived  solely  from  him  ;  and  therefore 
that  he  alone  ought  to  be  approached  in  prayer,  and 
honoured  as  the  sole  object  worthy  of  divine  adoration. 

The  second  part  of  the  new  birth  is  properly  called 
regeneration,  and  may  be  distinguished  into  a  first 
and  second  state.  In  the  first  state  man  begins  actu- 
ally to  shun  evils  as  sins,  and  by  the  truths  of  faith  is 
led  to  the  good  of  life.  The  formation  of  a  new  will 
also  gradually  takes  place  in  him ;  and  after  many 
internal  difficulties,  struggles,  and  temptations,  he  at 
length  enters  into  the  enjoyment  of  heavenly  tran- 
quillity and  peace,  represented  by  the  seventh  day, 
or  sabbath  of  rest*  In  this  latter  state  he  acts  more 
immediately  under  the  influence  of  good  in  the  will, 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


or  of  charity,  and  is  thereby  led  to  the  contemplation 
of  truth  in  the  understanding.  So  that  whereas  the 
external  man  had  rule  in  him  before,  the  internal  man 
has  now  the  dominion,  and  the  external  is  brought 
into  subjection.  Hence  the  order  of  his  life  is  invert- 
ed, and  he  himself  becomes  a  new  man  by  regenera- 
tion from  the  Lord. 

It  is  agreeable  to  divine  order,  that  the  internal 
man  be  first  regenerated,  and  afterwards  the  external 
man  ;  the  latter  by  the  former.  For  the  internal  man 
is  regenerated  by  the  doctrines  of  faith  and  charity 
influencing  the  understanding  and  the  will  ;  but  the 
external  man  is  regenerated  by  the  same  doctrines  in- 
fluencing his  life  and  actions.  This  is  the  signification 
of  our  Lord's  words,  when  he  says,  "  Cleanse  first 
"  that  which  is  within  the  cup  and  platter,  that  the 
«  outside  of  them  may  be  clean  also,"  Matt,  xxiii.  26. 
And  again,  "  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water,  and  of 
"  the  spirit,  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God," 
John  iii.  5.  Water  in  it's  spiritual  sense  signifies  all 
truth,  which  is  the  object  of  faith  ;  and  spirit  signifies 
a  life  in  conformity  with  such  truth. 


XXV.  Remission  of  Sins. 

THE  remission  or  forgiveness  of  sins  is  not,  as 
generally  supposed,  an  arbitrarious  act  of  mercy,  in 
consideration  of  any  satisfaction  or  atonement  made 
for  man  by  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  of  faith  therein  :  neither  are  sins  wiped  or  wash- 
ed away,  as  filth  is  by  water:  for  they  remain  with 
man,  even  after  he  has  commenced  the  regenerate 
life,  and  can  never  be  wholly  extirpated.  But  the 
remission  of  sins,  according  to  the  true  sense  in  which 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


75 


the  expression  is  used  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  means 
the  gradual  removal  of  evils  by  the  Lord,  after  repent- 
ance of  heart  and  life.  The  Lord  indeed  is  ever  dis- 
posed to  remit  the  sins  of  all  men,  being  in  himself 
the  purest  and  essential  mercy:  but  they  are  not  on 
that  account  removed  from  man,  neither  can  they  be, 
except  by  a  life  directed  and  influenced  by  the  pre- 
cepts of  a  right  faith.  So  far  as  man  lives  according 
to  such  precepts,  so  far  his  sins  are  removed,  and  in 
the  same  degree  they  are  remitted. 

"While  man  is  undergoing  the  process  of  regenera- 
tion, and  especially  when  he  is  regenerated,  he  is 
with-held  from  evils  solely  by  the  divine  mercy  and 
power  of  the  Lord  ;  and  while  he  is  thus  preserved, 
and  kept  under  the  influence  of  heavenly  goodness 
and  a  true  faith,  it  appears  as  if  he  were  without  sins, 
and  therefore  as  if  they  were  wiped  away.  But  he  is 
still  liable  to  a  relapse  into  his  former  evils  of  life, 
and  if  left  to  himself  even  for  a  moment,  would  cer- 
tainly relapse  :  from  which  it  plainly  appears,  that  his 
evils  were  not  exterminated  or  abolished,  but  only 
kept  in  a  state  of  subjection,  and  removed  as  it  were 
out  of  his  sight,  so  that  he  might  be  held  in  good,  and 
thereby  elevated  to  heaven  by  the  Lord.  This  is  what 
is  properly  meant  by  the  remission  or  forgiveness  of 
sins. 

Let  no  one  therefore  imagine,  that  sins  can  be  re- 
mitted or  forgiven  in  a  moment ;  or  that  the  life  of 
hell,  which  is  evil,  can  in  an  instant  be  transcribed  or 
changed  into  the  life  of  heaven,  which  is  good.  The 
divine  mercy  and  the  divine  power  do  not  produce 
such  instantaneous  effects  ;  but  they  operate  on  the 
human  mind  according  to  the  eternal  principles  of 
divine  order,  which  require,  that  the  change  of  rege- 
neration be  carried  on  gently  and  gradually,  in  a 
way  consistent  with  the  state  and  capacity  of  man, 


76 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


and  his  own  co-operation  in  the  removal  of  such  evils, 
as,  out  of  the  immense  multitude  within  him,  he  mav 
be  made  sensible  of.  These  are  the  spiritual  enemies, 
of  whom  it  is  written,  "  I  will  not  drive  them  out 
"  from  before  thee  in  one  year,  lest  the  land  become 
"  desolate,  and  the  beast  of  the  field  multiply  against 
"  thee.  By  little  and  little  I  will  drive  them  out 
"  from  before  thee,  until  thou  be  increased,  and  in- 
«  herit  the  land,"  Exod.  xxiii.  29,  SO.  This  gradual 
removal  of  evils,  or  remission  of  sins,  is  indeed  a 
series  of  continued  acts  of  mercy  and  power  on  the 
part  of  the  Lord  :  but  none  can  become  the  subjects 
of  such  mercy  and  power,  or  of  such  remission  of 
sins,  but  they  who  acknowledge  the  Lord,  and  en- 
deavour to  live  according  to  his  commandments  :  on 
which  account  it  is  written  in  the  Gospel,  "  Jls  many 
"  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become 
"  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on  kis 
"  name  ;  who  were  horn,  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will 
«  of  the  flesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  GoJ," 
John  i.  12,  13. 

The  remission  of  sins,  or,  what  is  the  same  thing, 
the  removal  of  evils,  is  discoverable  in  any  person  by 
the  following  signs.  He  perceives  delight  in  the  wor- 
ship of  the  Lord  for  the  sake  of  the  Lord,  and  in 
serving  his  neighbour  for  the  sake  of  his  neighbour, 
and  therefore  in  doing  good  for  the  sake  of  good,  and 
in  speaking  truth  for  the  sake  of  truth.  He  is  averse 
to  all  ideas  of  merit  arising  from  any  consideration  of 
his  charity  and  faith  :  he  avoids  and  abominates  evils 
of  every  description,  as  enmity,  hatred,  revenge, 
cruelty,  adultery,  fraud,  in  a  word,  all  things  which 
tend  to  destroy  love  to  the  Lord,  and  love  to  his 
neighbour. 

But  the  non -remission  of  sins,  or,  what  is  the  same 
thing,  the  non-removal  of  evils,  is  discoverable  in 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


77 


any  person  by  the  following  signs.  If  he  be  a  pro- 
fessor of  religion,  he  worships  God  not  for  the  sake 
of  God,  and  serves  his  neighbour  not  for  the  sake  of 
his  neighbour;  thus  he  docs  good,  and  speaks  truth, 
not  for  their  own  sake,  but  from  some  selfish  and 
worldly  motive.  In  all  his  actions  he  wishes  to  ag- 
grandize his  own  merits  :  he  perceives  no  disgust  or 
dissatisfaction,  but  on  the  contrary  a  pleasure  and  de- 
light, in  enmity,  hatred,  revenge,  cruelty,  adultery, 
fraud,  &c. ;  and,  under  the  pernicious  influence  of 
such  evils,  he  indulges  his  imagination  in  all  the  li- 
centiousness of  thought  about  them.  The  change 
from  this  state  of  evil  to  that  of  heavenly  good,  is  the 
process  so  often  alluded  to  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
under  the  name  of  the  new  birth  and  the  remission 
of  sins. 


XXVI.  Temptations. 

THE  removal  of  evils,  together  with  the  pleasures 
and  delights  attending  them,  in  consequence  of  their 
being  deeply  implanted  in  the  human  mind,  cannot  be 
effected  without  interior  pain,  distress,  and  anxiety. 
Such  interior  pain  is  called  temptation  ;  and  if  the 
objects  which  occasion  it  be  spiritual,  the  temptation 
is  then  spiritual  ;  but  if  the  objects  which  occasion  it 
be  worldly,  the  temptation  is  then  merely  natural,  and 
is  more  properly  called  an.viety.  In  spiritual  tempta- 
tion there  is  a  conflict  or  combat  between  the  heavenly 
kingdom  and  the  infernal  kingdom  in  man,  that  is, 
between  good  and  evil,  with  an  endeavour  on  the 
part  of  each  to  gain  the  dominion  over  the  other. 
This  conflict  is  carried  on  by  evil  spirits  on  the  one 
hand,  who  excite  and  cherish  in  man  his  evil  affec- 
tions, and  by  good  spirits  on  the  other  hand,  who  ex- 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


cite  and  cherish  in  him  his  good  affections  :  during 
which  conflict  the  Lord  fights  for  man,  and  also 
gives  him  the  power  of  co-operating  with  him,  and 
thus  of  resisting  evil  as  of  himself,  while  still  he  ac- 
knowledges, that  all  his  help  is  from  the  Lord  alone. 

Tn  this  way  a  check  is  given  to  self-love,  and  the 
love  of  the  world,  which  are  the  two  sources,  f  rom 
which  all  evil  and  falsehood  take  their  rise.  Hereby 
also  man  is  more  distinctly  taught  the  difference  be- 
tween good  and  evil;  and,  by  the  relation  subsisting 
between  these  two  opposite  principles,  he  learns  to 
know,  that  of  himself  he  is  nothing  but  evil,  and  that 
all  the  good  he  possesses  is  the  gift  of  the  Lord  with 
him.  But  as  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  support  the 
conflict  that  takes  place  between  good  and  evil,  in  a 
state  of  temptation,  without  the  means  provided  for 
that  purpose  by  the  Lord,  which  are  the  truths  of 
faith  derived  from  the  Word,  therefore  no  one  is  ad- 
mitted into  this  spiritual  warfare,  until  he  is  initiated 
into  the  knowledges  of  truth  and  good,  and  has  there- 
by acquired  some  degree  of  heavenly  life.  Conse- 
quently no  man  is  admitted  into  spiritual  temptations, 
until  he  is  arrived  at  years  of  maturity,  and  by  the 
exercise  of  his  own  free  judgment  capable  of  resisting 
evil  as  of  himself.  This  was  represented  in  the 
Israelitish  church  by  the  males  from  twenty  years  old 
and  upward  being  ordered  to  go  forth  to  war,  but 
not  those  who  were  under  that  age ;  man,  about  this 
period  of  life,  being  generally  capable  of  exercising 
his  own  judgment  and  determination,  but  not  before. 
(See  Numb.  i.  2,  3,  18,  &c.    Chap.  xxvi.  2,  4.) 

The  effect  of  temptation  is,  that  the  dominion  of 
good  over  evil,  and  of  truth  over  falsehood,  is  estab- 
lished in  the  human  mind ;  truth  also  is  confirmed, 
and  united  with  good  ;  the  external  man  is  brought 
under  subjection  to  the  internal  man;  the  power  of 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


selfish  and  worldly  love  is  reduced ;  and  the  concu- 
piscences theuce  derived  are  kept  in  continual  re- 
straint. When  these  purposes  are  accomplished,  a 
superior  degree  of  illumination  takes  place,  together 
with  a  sensible  increase  of  benevolence  in  the  disposi- 
tion, and  man  daily  advances  in  understanding,  wis- 
dom, and  love. 


XXVII.    Difficulty  of  Regeneration  gradually  over- 
come. 

DURING  the  first  stages  of  regeneration,  while 
man  has  to  oppose  all  his  natural  inclinations  to  evil, 
with  the  false  pleasures  and  delights  accompanying 
them,  the  work  is  indeed  difficult,  and  resembles  a 
voluntary  martyrdom:  on  which  account  the  Lord 
says,  "  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny 
"  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  daily,  and  follow  me. 
"  For  whosoever  will  save  his  life,  shall  lose  it :  but 
"  whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake,  the  same 
".shall  save  it,"  Luke  ix.  23,  24.  But  in  the  future 
progress  of  the  work,  after  a  man  has  for  some  time 
successfully  combated  against  his  own  natural  pro- 
pensities, and  when  with  the  return  of  temptation  his 
delight  in  the  evil  excited  is  sensibly  abated,  as  it  will 
be  after  a  few  cases  of  determined  opposition,  the  dif- 
ficulty, which  was  at  first  experienced,  is  gradually 
overcome,  and  is  at  length  succeeded  first  by  an  aver- 
sion to  the  evil  which  was  before  pleasing,  and  se- 
condly by  a  delight  in  doing  good,  and  in  every  pos- 
sible way  promoting  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord. 

In  this  new  state  of  mind  he  comprehends  and  ex- 
periences the  truth  of  these  divine  words,  "  Come 
"  unto  mc,  all  ye  that  labour,  and  are  heavy  laden, 


30 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


"and  J  will  give  you  rest.  Take  my  yoke  upon 
*  you,  and  learn  of  me,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
"  heart ;  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls.  For 
« my  yoke  is  easy,  and  my  burden  is  light,"  Matt 
xi.  28  to  SO.  And  though  formerly  he  could  discern 
in  religion  nothing  but  crosses,  trials,  and  sacrifices, 
he  can  now  unite  with  the  Psalmist  in  saying,  "  0 
"  how  I  love  thy  law  !  How  sweet  are  thy  words  un- 
u  to  my  taste !  they  are  sweeter  than  honey  to  my 
u  mouth.  Thy  testimonies  have  I  taken  as  an  herit- 
"  age  for  ever  :  for  they  are  the  rejoicing  of  my 
"  heart.  I  have  longed  for  thy  salvation,  O  Jeho- 
"  vah  ;  and  thy  law  is  my  delight,"  Ps.  cxix.  97,  103, 
111,  174. 


XXVIII.  Conscience. 

CONSCIENCE  is  not  connate  with  man,  but  is 
formed  within  him  by  the  religious  principles,  in 
which  he  has  been  educated,  and  which  he  believes 
to  be  true.  Whatever  is  the  quality,  therefore,  of 
those  principles,  such  will  be  the  conscience  resulting 
from  them.  It  is  or  may  become  more  perfect  and 
genuine  with  those,  who  are  enlightened,  and  who 
are  in  a  clear  perception  of  the  truths  of  faith,  than 
with  those,  who  are  less  so.  In  each  case,  however, 
it  is  felt  as  an  internal  bond,  or  dictate,  directing 
them  to  cease  from  evil,  and  to  think,  speak,  and  act 
justly,  truly,  and  uprightly,  on  every  occasion  in  life. 

The  spiritual  life  of  man  consists  in  a  true  con- 
science, which  may  be  considered  as  the  point  of 
union  between  his  faith  and  charity.  Hence  it  is, 
that,  when  a  man  acts  according  to  his  conscience, 
he  acts  from  his  spiritual  life ;  but  when  he  acts  con- 
trary to  his  conscience,  he  then  acts  contrary  to  his 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN'  RELIGION. 


81 


spiritual  life.  In  the  one  case  he  comes  into  a  state 
of  internal  peace,  tranquillity,  and  beatitude  ;  but  in 
tbe  other,  he  experiences  trouble  and  pain  of  mind, 
which  is  called  remorse,  or  the  sting  of  conscience. 

Conscience  is  of  two  kinds  ;  one  exterior,  which  is 
a  conscience  grounded  in  the  love  of  truth ;  the  other 
more  interior,  which  is  a  conscience  grounded  in  the 
love  of  good.  The  former  is  properly  called  con- 
science, and  is  the  life  of  spiritual  men,  who  are  influ- 
enced by  charity  towards  their  neighbour  :  but  the  lat- 
ter bears  the  name  of  perception,  and  is  the  distinguish- 
ing characteristic  of  celestial  men,  who  are  principled 
in  the  good  of  love  to  the  Lord. 

An  example  or  two  will  illustrate  the  nature  of 
conscience.  Suppose  a  man  to  be  in  possession  of 
another's  property,  so  that  he  can  retain  it  without  his 
knowledge,  and  without  danger  of  the  law,  or  the 
loss  of  credit  and  reputation,  if  he  restore  it  to  it's 
right  owner,  because  he  has  no  lawful  claim  to  it 
himself,  such  a  person  is  endued  with  conscience, 
inasmuch  as  he  does  good  for  the  sake  of  good,  and 
justice  for  the  sake  of  justice.  Suppose  again  that  a 
man  has  it  in  his  power  to  be  preferred  to  some  place 
of  distinction,  but  he  has  good  reason  to  believe,  that 
his  competitor  is  better  qualified  for  the  place  than 
himself,  and  on  this  conviction  he  gives  up  his  own 
claim  for  the  good  of  hja  country  and  the  public; 
such  a  person  is  endued  with  a  good  conscience.  The 
same  rule  applies  in  all  other  cases.  But  he  who  re- 
gards himself  alone,  and,  in  order  to  promote  his  own 
worldly  interest,  scruples  not  to  defraud  and  other- 
wise injure  his  neighbour,  when  he  thinks  he  can  do  it 
without  risk  of  detection,  has  no  title  to  the  character 
of  an  upright  and  just  man,  being  totally  destitute  of 
conscience. 

H 


82 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


Adults,  who  have  not  received  a  conscience  in  this 
world,  cannot  receive  it  in  the  next,  and  consequently 
cannot  be  saved.  The  reason  of  which  is,  because 
they  have  no  plane  or  ground  within  them,  into  which 
heaven,  or  the  Lord  through  heaven,  may  descend, 
and  by  which  he  may  operate,  so  as  to  lead  them  to 
himself:  for  conscience,  when  formed,  is  that  which 
receives  the  influx  of  heaven,  and  causes  conjunction 
with  it.  Hence  it  follows,  that  they  who  are  finally 
lost,  have  no  conscience,  and  that  their  torment  or 
punishment  arises  from  another  source.  It  is  there- 
fore of  the  utmost  consequence  to  the  future  well-being 
of  man,  that  he  acquire  to  himself,  while  in  the  body, 
the  true  principles  of  heavenly  life  ;  and  that  on  every 
occasion  he  conduct  himself  justly,  uprightly,  and  con- 
scientiously. 


XXIX.  Piety. 

IT  is  supposed  by  many,  that  a  spiritual  life,  or  a 
life  which  leads  to  heaven,  consists  in  piety,  in  an 
external  appearance  of  sanctity,  and  in  a  renunci- 
ation of  the  world.  But  piety  without  charity  or 
neighbourly  love,  an  external  sanctity  without  that 
which  is  internal,  and  a  renunciation  of  the  world 
without  an  intercourse  with,  the  world,  do  not  con- 
stitute the  true  spiritual  life  of  man.  Yet  piety, 
when  derived  from  charity,  and  external  sanctity, 
when  derived  from  that  which  is  internal,  and  a  re- 
nunciation of  the  world,  when  united  with  a  life  of 
usefulness  in  it,  do  really  constitute  and  make  mani- 
fest his  spiritual  life. 

Piety  consists  in  thinking  and  speaking  in  a  godly, 
religious  manner,  exercising  oneself  much  in  prayer, 
behaving  on  such  occasions  with  humility,  frequenting 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN"  RELIGION. 


85 


places  of  worship,  devoutly  attending  to  sermons,  re- 
ceiving at  stated  times  the  sacrament  of  the  holy  sup- 
per, and  in  performing  other  acts  of  worship  accord- 
ing  to  the  ordinances  of  the  church.  But  the  life  of 
charity  consists  in  willing  and  doing  good  to  our 
neighbour,  and  in  acting  on  every  occasion  from  a 
principle  of  justice  and  equity,  of  goodness  and  truth. 
In  short,  a  life  of  charity  consists  in  performing  use- 
ful services  to  all  around  us  ;  and  this  is  the  primary 
and  essential  constituent  of  divine  worship,  while 
piety  is  only  the  secondary  and  formal  part  of  it. 
This  latter,  however,  without  the  former,  is  dead  ; 
and  they,  who  practise  it, are  generally  filled  with  ideas 
of  their  own  superior  sanctity  and  merit ;  when  ne- 
vertheless, like  the  hypocritical  Pharisees  of  old,  they 
are  only  « paying  tithe  of  mint,  and  anise,  and 
"  cummin,  but  omitting  the  weightier  matters  of  the 
u  law,  judgment,  mercy,  and  faith,''  Matt,  xxiii.  23. 

Of  a  similar  nature  and  quality  is  the  external  ap- 
pearance of  sanctity,  when  there  is  nothing  of  inter- 
nal devotion  corresponding  to  it  in  the  heart.  With 
all  such  as  come  under  this  character  there  is  no  love 
of  good  and  truth,  justice  and  sincerity,  for  their  own 
sakes  :  but,  on  the  contrary,  some  selfish  or  worldly 
end  debases  their  worship,  and  renders  their  high 
pretensions  to  religion  perfectly  null  and  void. 

The  renunciation  of  the  world,  which  is  required 
by  the  divine  laws,  does  not  consist  in  rejecting 
worldly  things,  such  as  riches,  honours,  and  the  con- 
veniencies  of  natural  life  ;  nor  in  continually  medita- 
ting about  God,  salvation,  and  eternal  life  ;  nor  in 
spending  one's  whole  time  in  prayer,  and  the  reading 
of  the  Word,  and  other  pious  books  ;  nor  yet  in  mor- 
tifications of  the  body,  as  some  have  ignoraitly 
imagined  and  taught :  but  it  consists  in  loving  the 
Lord  and  our  neighbour,  in  acting  justly,  s-incerely. 


84 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


and  conscientiously,  according  to  the  divine  precepts, 
in  every  employment  and  situation  of  life,  and  thus  in 
abstaining  from  the  evils  of  the  world,  while  we  are 
necessarily  conversant  with  it,  agreeably  to  these 
words  of  the  Lord,  "  1  pray  not  that  thou  shouldst 
"  take  them  out  of  the  K-orld,  but  that  thou  shouldst 
"  keep  them  from  the  evil,"  John  xvii.  15. 


XXX.  Imputation. 

IN  those  churches,  which  have  adopted  an  errone- 
ous faith  in  three  divine  persons  existing  from  eter- 
nity, it  is  held,  that  justification  and  salvation  are  ef- 
fected by  God  the  Father  through  the  imputation  of 
the  merits  and  righteousness  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ ; 
and  that  such  imputation  is  when  and  with  whom  he 
pleases,  without  any  other  respect  to  the  objects  of 
election,  than  what  flows  from  an  arbitrary,  uncon- 
ditional pre-determination,  and  sovereign  pleasure. 
Hut  as  the  faith,  which  gave  birth  to  such  a  delirium 
of  the  mind,  is  itself  opposed  to  the  divine  unity,  and 
in  it's  consequences  cannot  be  contemplated  by  any 
truly  rational  mind,  without  a  kind  of  horror  and 
justifiable  indignation,  it  shall  be  no  further  noticed  in 
this  place,  than  as  an  occasion  given,  in  the  way  of 
contrast,  to  state  the  true  doctrine  of  the  imputation 
of  good  and  evil,  according  to  the  nature  of  every 
man's  life. 

The  merit  and  righteousness  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  consisted  in  the  various  acts  of  redemption, 
which  he  performed  while  on  earth  :  and  as  the  re- 
demption wrought  by  him  was  a  work  purely  divine, 
as  already  explained  iu  a  former  article,  any  imputa-. 
tion  of  his  merit  to  a  mere  creature,  to  an  insignifi- 
cant worm,  must  be  a  thing  plainly  impossible,  and  in 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


85 


itself  to  the  last  degree  absurd.  For  if  redemption 
cannot  be  applied  or  ascribed  to  any  angel  or  man, 
any  more  than  the  creation  and  preservation  of  the 
universe  can,  redemption  being  a  kind  of  second  cre- 
ation ;  it  follows,  that  the  merit  of  such  a  divine  pro- 
cess can  be  imputed  to  none,  but  to  him  who  actually 
accomplished  it. 

The  imputation,  which  really  takes  place,  is  an  im- 
putation of  good  and  evil,  and  at  the  same  time  of 
faith,  but  only  so  far  as  man  by  his  life  has  appropri- 
ated to  himself  either  the  one  or  the  other.  Hence  it 
is  written,  «  The  Son  of  Man  shall  come  in  the  glory 
"  of  his  Father,  with  the  angels  ;  and  then  he  shall 
«  reward  every  man  according  to  his  works,"  Matt, 
xvi.  27.  t;  They  that  have  done  good,  shall  come 
"  forth  unto  the  resurrection  of  life  ;  and  they  that 
«'  have  dom  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  damnation," 
John  v.  £9.  And  again,  "Blessed  is  the  man,  unto 
"  whom  Jehovah  imputeth  not  iniquity,"  Ps.  xxxii.  2. 
The  rewards  and  punishments  here  announced  imply 
the  imputation  both  of  good  and  of  evil :  but  still  they 
are  to  be  considered  as  the  necessary  and  unavoidable 
result  of  the  kind  and  quality  of  life,  which  a  man 
chooses  for  himself.  This  is  particularly  true  with 
respect  to  the  imputation  of  evil,  which,  though  per- 
mitted by  the  Lord,  is  not,  properly  speaking,  im- 
puted by  him  to  man,  but  Father  moderated  and  con- 
trolled by  the  divine  mercy  in  it's  superintendence 
over  the  general  laws  of  diviue  order.  But  with  re- 
spect to  the  imputation  of  good,  and  also  of  faith,  it 
must  always  be  regarded  as  the  effect  of  divine  mercy 
extended  to,  and  received  by,  the  regenerate  man 
when  become  an  angel,  according  to  the  quality  of  hi* 
past  life. 


86 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THt 


XXXI.  Hitman  Merit. 

IT  is  the  character  of  a  natural  man  to  place  merit 
in  good  works,  or  to  perform  useful  services  to  others 
merely  for  the  sake  of  remuneration,  in  hope  either  of 
gain,  or  reputation,  or  some  other  worldly  interest. 
Reward  beina;  thus  his  motive,  or  end  in  view,  it  is 
plain,  that  all  the  good  which  such  a  person  does,  re- 
ceives it's  quality  from  self-consideration;  and  that, 
being  so  tainted  and  polluted  in  it's  source,  it  must 
necessarily  be  evil  with  respect  to  the  doer,  however 
serviceable  it  may  be  to  others,  or  however  engaging 
and  fascinating  in  it's  external  appearance. 

But  the  truly  spiritual  man,  who  does  good  purely 
from  the  love  of  good,  or  for  the  sake  of  good,  is  un- 
willing to  hear  of  merit,  or  even  to  think  of  it,  except 
while  he  is  ascribing  it  wholly  to  the  Lord,  from  whom 
alone  all  real  good  proceeds.  On  the  contrary,  he  is 
desirous  of  serving  his  neighbour  for  the  sake  of  his 
neighbour,  of  loving  his  friend  for  the  sake  of  his  friend, 
of  benefiting  his  country  for  the  sake  of  his  country, 
and  of  doing  good  to  all,  according  to  their  several 
states,  and  his  own  ability,  not  from  any  hope  or  ex- 
pectation of  reward,  but  from  a  generous,  disinterested 
affection,  inspired  into  his  soul  by  him,  whose  love  is 
universal,  unmixed  with  alloy,  and  who  can  receive 
nothing  in  return  for  all  his  mercies  to  mankind,  but 
their  grateful  acknowledgments  and  humble  adoration. 


XXXII.  Baptism. 

AS  in  every  general  church,  which  has  heretofore 
existed  in  the  world,  some  peculiarity  of  rite,  cere- 
mony, or  custom,  has  been  introduced,  in  order  to 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


8  T 


distinguish  it  from  others ;  so  in  the  Christian  church, 
by  the  Lord's  example,  as  well  as  precept,  baptism 
was  instituted  in  the  room  of  circumcision,  which  was 
the  ritual  adopted  by  the  Jewish  and  Israelitish  peo- 
ple, to  represent  purification  of  the  mind,  and  thereby 
regeneration.  But  as  the  Christian  church  (so  called) 
has  hitherto  been  such  rather  in  name,  than  in  truth 
and  reality :  and  as  it  has  arrived  at  it's  full  period  or 
consummation,  and  consequently  has  nothing  of  the 
essentials  of  a  church  remaining  in  it;  and  yet  it  is  of 
the  Lord's  appointment,  that  the  two  sacraments  of 
baptism  and  the  holy  supper  be  continued  in  his  true 
church  through  all  succeeding  generations  ;  it  is  there- 
fore considered  as  an  indispensable  duty  to  retain 
both  of  these  institutions,  especially  as  their  uses  and 
significations  are  now  revealed,  together  with  the  spi- 
ritual sense  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

Baptism  having  been  instituted  in  the  room  of  cir- 
cumcision, as  an  external  sign  and  memorial  of  man's 
admission  into  the  church,  and  of  his  future  instruc- 
tion, reformation,  and  regeneration,  as  well  as  of  the 
various  trials  and  temptations  through  which  he  must 
necessarily  pass  ;  it  is  immaterial  whether  the  cere- 
mony be  performed  in  the  way  of  immersion,  as  prac- 
tised in  warm  climates,  or  in  the  way  of  sprinkling  or 
affusion  on  the  forehead,  as  is  practised  in  northern 
latitudes.  Immersion  of  the  whole  body  represents 
indeed  the  spiritual  washing  or  purification  of  the 
whole  man  :  but  the  same  is  also  signified  by  sprink- 
ling or  pouring  water  on  the  forehead  alone,  because 
the  forehead  denotes  the  interiors  of  man,  and  conse- 
quently all  the  exteriors  thence  derived.  It  is  there- 
fore sufficient,  that  the  element  of  water  be  actually 
applied  to  the  forehead  ;  for  the  ceremony  in  this  form 
rs  equally  efficacious  in  the  spiritual  world,  whether 


88 


A.   COMPENDIUM   OF  THt 


the  quantity  of  water  applied  to  the  body  be  much  or 
little,  the  result  in  both  cases  being  exactly  the  same. 

The  first  use  of  baptism  is  introduction  into  the  new 
and  true  christian  church,  and  at  the  same  time  inser- 
tion among  such  in  the  spiritual  world,  as  acknowledge 
a  similar  faith  with  this  church  on  earth.  The  mere 
ceremony  of  baptism,  however,  as  before  observed,  is 
only  an  external  sign  of  introduction  or  admission  into 
the  church,  preliminary  to  future  instruction  ;  and 
therefore  it  may  be  lawfully  administered  to  infants, 
even  while  they  are  as  yet  void  of  reason,  and  conse- 
quently incapable  of  receiving  or  comprehending  any 
thing  relating  to  faith.  Yet  this  sign,  like  every  other 
act  performed  according  to  the  directions  of  the  Holy 
Word,  is  perceived  in  heaven,  and  the  person  baptized 
is  thereby  distinguished  in  the  spiritual  world,  accord- 
ing to  the  quality  of  the  faith  professed  at  the  time  ut 
baptism. 

The  second  use  of  baptism  is,  that  the  person  bap- 
tized may  know  and  acknowledge  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  follow  him  by  a  life  of  obedience  to  his 
commandments.  This  knowledge  and  acknowledg- 
ment are  gradually  acquired :  for  man  must  learn, 
first,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Saviour  and  Redeemer  of 
the  world  ;  secondly,  that  he  hath  all  power  in  heaven 
and  on  earth  ;  and,  thirdly,  that  he  and  the  Father  are 
absolutely  one  and  the  same  Divine  Person.  Thus  he 
will  be  led  to  acknowledge  the  Saviour  himself  as  the 
One  Only  God  manifested  in  the  flesh,  in  whom  never- 
theless is  a  divine  trinity,  called  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Spirit,  like  the  soul,  body,  and  operation  in  man. 
But  it  is  not  sufficient  that  the  understanding  be  en- 
lightened to  discern  these  most  essential  truths ;  the 
heart  and  the  life  must  also  be  engaged  in  the  work 
of  regeneration,  which  proceeds,  step  by  step,  as  man 
departs  from  evil,  and  learns  to  do  good. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


89 


The  third  and  final  use  of  baptism  is,  that  man  may 
be  actually  regenerated  :  in  which  case  he  is  baptized 
not  merely  with  water,  but  with  the  Holy  Spirit  and 
with  fire  ;  in  other  words,  he  is  entnely  renewed  in 
spirit  and  in  life,  by  the  efficacy  of  divine  truth  in 
his  understanding,  and  of  divine  love  in  his  heart, 
both  proceedin»-  from  the  Lord,  and  both  producing 
their  blessed  effects  of  redemption,  regeneration,  and 
salvation. 

From  this  view  of  the  nature,  signification,  and 
uses  of  baptism,  we  may  now  discern  the  true  mean- 
ing of  our  Lord's  words  to  Nicodemus,  when  he  said, 
"  Except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit, 
i4  he  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,"  John 
iii.  5.  Water  denotes  the  truth  of  faith  received 
from  the  Word  into  the  understanding  and  affections  ; 
the  spirit  denotes  a  life  directed  and  influenced  there- 
by ;  and  to  be  born  of  them,  is  to  be  regenerated  by 
such  means. 


XXXIII.  The  Holy  Supper. 

BAPTISM  being  an  introduction  into  the  church, 
the  holy  supper  may  be  considered  as  an  introduction 
into  heaven,  being  intended  to  open  a  more  direct 
and  immediate  communication  with  heaven,  and  also 
with  the  Lord  himself,  than  is  usually  effected  by  any 
of  the  other  ceremonies  of  the  church.  It  is,  there- 
fore, the  most  sacred  and  solemn  of  all  worship. 
How  such  an  effect  is  produced  by  means  of  the  holy 
supper,  cannot  be  comprehended  by  those,  who  con- 
fine their  ideas  to  the  mere  literal  expression  of  the 
Word  ;  for  they  imagine,  either  with  the  Roman 
Catholics,  that  the  elements  of  bread  and  wine  are 
miraculously  converted  into  the  real  natural  body  of 


00 


A  COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


the  Lord,  which  hung  upon  the  cross,  or  else  with  the 
Protestants,  that  they  were  enjoined  merely  as  memo- 
rials of  the  Lord's  crucifixion,  whereby  divine  justice 
was  satisfied,  the  wrath  of  the  Father  appeased,  and 
the  redemption  of  man  accomplished.  It  is  from  a 
knowledge  of  the  internal  or  spiritual  sense  of  the 
Word  only,  that  the  real  uses  of  the  holy  supper  can 
be  discerned  ;  and  this  teaches  what  is  truly  signified 
by  the  Lord's  body  and  blood,  what  by  the  bread  and 
wine,  and  what  by  eating  and  drinking  thereof. 

According  to  this  sense,  by  the  Lord's  body  or  flesh 
is  meant  his  divine  love  and  goodness  towards  the 
wholtfrace  of  mankind;  which  love  is  embodied  in, 
and  proceeds  from,  his  Divine  Humanity,  through  the 
medium  of  his  Holy  AVord  :  this  is  represented  and 
signified  by  the  bread.  By  the  Lord's  blood  is  meant 
his  divine  wisdom  and  truth,  likewise  embodied  in, 
and  proceeding  from,  his  Divine  Humanity,  through 
the  medium  of  his  Word  :  this  is  represented  and  sig- 
nified by  the  wine.  Eating  and  drinking  denote  the 
reception  and  appropriation,  on  man's  part,  of  the 
heavenly  influences  of  love,  charity,  and  true  faith, 
represented  by  the  bread  and  v  ine,  and  at  the  same 
time  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  which  constitutes 
heaven  and  eternal  life. 

That  this  interpretation  of.  the  Lord's  flesh  and 
blood  is  in  agreement  with  his  own  doctrine  con- 
cerning himself,  his  divine  love,  and  his  divine  wis- 
dom, is  plain  from  these  his  words  in  the  Gospel  by 
John,  "  I  am  the  living  bread,  which  came  down 
"  from  heaven  :  if  any  man  eat  of  this  bread,  he  shall 
"  live  for  ever :  and  the  bread,  that  I  will  give,  is  my 
"flesh,  which  I  will  give  for  the  life  of  the  world. 
"  Verily  verily  I  say  unto  you,  Except  ye  eat  the 
"flesh  of  the  Son  of  Man,  and  drink  his  blood,  ye 
"  have  no  life  in  you.    Whoso  eateth  my  flesh,  and 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


91 


"  drinketh  my  blood,  hath  eternal  life,  and  I  will 
"  raise  hiin  up  at  the  last  day.  For  my  jlesh  is  meat 
«  indeed,  and  my  blood  is  drink  indeed.  He  that 
"  eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth 

in  me,  and  I  in  him,"  John  vi.  51,  53  to  56.  Now 
since  nothing  can  nourish  the  spiritual  life  of  man, 
but  that  which  is  itself  spiritual,  it  is  evident,  that  by 
the  Lord's  flesh  and  by  bread  is  meant  his  divine 
good,  that  by  his  blood  is  meant  his  divine  truth,  and 
that  by  eating  and  drinking  is  meant  the  reception  of 
both  in  heart  and  in  life. 

It  may  be  further  observed,  in  illustration  of  the 
uses  effected  by  the  "holy  supper,  that  the  angels,  who 
are  present  with  man  while  he  partakes  of  it,  have 
no  other  perception  of  the  bread  and  wine  then  taken, 
than  what  is  spiritual :  and  hence  the  very  expres- 
sions, bread,  wine,  body,  flesh,  and  blood,  as  well  as 
the  act  of  eating  and  drinking,  excite  in  their  minds 
botli  the  ideas  and  the  affections  of  love,  charity,  and 
faith  ;  the  consequence  of  which  is,  that  an  imme- 
diate communication  of  holy  and  heavenly  influence 
from  them,  or  rather  through  them  from  the  Lord, 
takes  place  with  all  such  as  are  in  a  fit  state  for  it's 
reception.  In  this  way  the  holy  supper,  which  may 
well  be  denominated  the  very  marriage-supper  of  the 
Lamb,  is  productive  of  consociation  with  the  angels 
of  heaven,  and  of  conjunction  with  the  Lord  himself. 
For  though  celebrated  on  earth,  the  Bridegroom  ac- 
tually honours  the  repast  with  his  divine  presence; 
and  at  one  and  the  same  table  angels  and  men  pro- 
miscuously feed.  Yea,  and  "they  shall  be  abundant- 
"  ly  satisfied  with  the  fatness  of  thy  house  ;  and  thou 
"  shalt  make  them  drink  of  the  river  of  thy  pleasures," 
Ps.  xxxvi.  8. 

Since  therefore  the  Lord  is  present  in  the  holy  sup- 
per with  the  divine  good  of  his  love,  and  the  divine 


92 


A  COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


truth  of  his  wisdom,  which  are  the  universals  of  hea- 
ven and  the  church,  it  follows,  that  the  particulars 
depending  upon  them  are  also  included  and  contained 
in  it.  That  the  Lord  is  present  therein  as  to  his  Hu- 
manity, is  plain  from  these  express  words  of  the  in- 
stitution, "  This  is  my  body ;  this  is  my  blood :" 
and  as  his  Divinity  can  no  more  be  separated  from 
his  humanity,  than  the  soul  can  from  it's  body,  with- 
out the  loss  of  life,  we  conclude,  that  the  Lord  is 
wholly  and  completely  present  in  the  holy  supper,  as 
well  with  respect  to  his  Essential  Divinity,  as  with 
respect  to  his  Glorified  Humanity :  and  wherever 
these  are  acknowledged  and  adored,  there  is  heaven, 
there  is  the  church,  and  there  are  the  fruits  of  re- 
demption. 


XXXIV.  Marriage. 

IT  has  been  already  observed,  art.  15  and  16, 
that  as  every  thing  in  the  universe,  which  exists  ac- 
cording to  divine  order,  bears  a  certain  relation  to 
good  and  truth,  and  to  their  union,  so  every  thing  in 
man  has  relation  to  his  will  and  understanding,  which 
are  the  receptacles  of  good  and  truth,  or  of  love  and 
wisdom,  and  to  their  conjunction  in  his  mind  and  in 
his  life.  This  conjunction  of  good  and  truth  in  man  is 
compared  in  the  AVord  to  a  marriage,  and  actually 
descends  from  a  similar  marriage  of  good  and  truth 
in  heaven,  which  again  in  it's  turn  descends  from  the 
Lord  himself,  in  whom  the  divine  love  and  divine 
wisdom  are  essentially  one.  But  the  celestial  mar- 
riage, while  confined  to  a  single  individual  mind, 
cannot  be  completed  in  all  it's  fulness  and  perfection  ; 
neither  can  it  in  such  case  be  productive  of  so  high 
and  exquisite  a  sense  of  blessedness,  as  when  it  has 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN'  RELIGION. 


95 


tor  it's  subject  the  united  mind  of  a  husband  and  wife. 
This  also  plainly  appears  to  be  the  doctrine  of  the 
Lord  concerning  marriage  :  "  Have  ye  not  read, 
"  (says  he  to  the  Pharisees,)  that  he,  who  made  them 
"  at  the  beginning,  made  them  male  and  female  ? 
u  and  said,  For  this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  father 
u  and  mother,  and  shall  cleave  to  his  wife  :  and  they 
"twain  shall  be  one- flesh.  "Wherefore  they  are  no 
"  more  twain  but  one  flesh.  What  therefore  God 
«  hath  joined  together,  let  not  man  put  asunder," 
Matt.  xix.  4  to  6. 

Since  then  the  celestial  marriage  of  good  and  truth 
generates  in  the  mind  of  man  a  corresponding  love ; 
and  since  this  love  cannot  exist  in  all  it's  fulness,  per- 
fection, and  blessedness,  while  received  singly  by 
either  a  male  or  a  female  form,  but  must  be  implant- 
ed and  confirmed  in  both  by  a  mutual  and  reciprocal 
intercourse;  it  follows,  that  the  state  of  marriage 
keeps  pace  with  the  state  of  religion  in  man,  and  that, 
when  under  the  influence  of  true  conjugial  love,  it  is 
the  most  holy,  chaste,  and  perfect  state,  as  well  as 
the  happiest  and  most  blessed,  that  either  men  or  an- 
gels are  capable  of  attaining.  It  is  therefore  main- 
tained, from  the  original  design  of  creation,  and  from 
the  general  testimony  of  the  Word,  rightly  under- 
stood, that  true  conjugial  love,  which  can  only  ex- 
ist between  one  husband  and  one  wife,  inasmuch  as  it 
is  grounded  in  the  marriage  of  good  and  truth,  and 
corresponds  with  the  marriage  of  the  Lord  and  his 
church,  is  a  primary  characteristic  of  the  true  chris- 
tian religion  ;  being  the  very  ground  or  plane,  which 
receives  the  divine  influx,  and  together  with  it  all  the 
joys,  pleasures,  delights,  and  beatitudes,  from  first 
principles  to  ultimate  efiects,  which  can  be  conferred 
on  man  by  the  Lord  his  Creator,  Redeemer,  and  Re- 
generator. 


94 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


XXXV.  The  Church. 

THAT  which  constitutes  heaven  in  man,  consti- 
tutes also  the  church  :  and  as  it  is  love  and  faith,  or 
good  and  truth,  which  constitute  heaven,  so  the  same 
also  constitute  the  church,  whether  it  be  with  an 
individual,  a  society,  or  a  multitude  of  societies. 
"Wheresoever  the  Lord  is  truly  acknowledged,  and 
his  Word  received  as  divine,  there  is  the  church  : 
for  the  essentials  of  the  church  are  love  and  faith  di- 
rected to  the  Lord  ;  and  the  Word  teaches  how  man 
must  live,  in  order  to  obtain  such  love  and  faith  from 
the  Lord.  But  since  the  Word,  as  a  regular  system 
of  divine  truths,  is  in  many  respects  unintelligible 
without  doctrine,  it  is  therefore  necessary,  that  ge- 
nuine doctrine  be  drawn  from  the  Word,  and  so  ap- 
plied as  to  form  a  true  church.  Yet  doctrine  alone 
does  not  constitute  the  church  with  man,  but  a  life 
according  to  doctrine.  Hence  it  follows,  that  the 
church  is  not  formed  by  faith  alone,  but  by  the  life  of 
faith,  which  is  charity.  Genuine  doctrine  is  the  doc- 
trine of  charity  and  faith  united,  and  this  is  properly 
the  doctrine  of  life. 

They,  who  are  out  of  the  pale  of  the  church,  as 
the  gentile  nations  are,  and  who  yet  acknowledge  one 
God,  and  live  in  charity  towards  their  neighbour,  ac- 
cording to  the  precepts  of  their  various  religions,  that 
is  to  say,  according  to  the  best  light  they  have  re- 
ceived, are  in  spiritual  communion  with  the  members 
of  the  true  church,  and  will  finally  be  saved  :  for 
the  Lord  is  merciful  to  all,  and  requires  no  more  of 
man,  than  to  use  or  improve  the  talent  committed  to 
his  care,  however  inconsiderable  it  may  be.  Hence 
we  conclude,  that  the  Lord's  church  universal  is 
planted  in  every  part  of  the  globe,  although  in  a  more 
particular  sense  it  is  only  to  be  found  among  those, 


who  acknowledge  the  Lord,  and  are  in  possession  of 
his  Word. 

This  will  admit  of  illustration  by  the  analogy, 
which  subsists  between  the  church  universal  and  the 
human  body.  The  church  in  particular,  where  the 
Lord  is  known,  and  his  Word  received,  may  be 
compared  to  the  heart  and  lungs  in  man,  because  in 
them  the  life  is  more  central  and  active,  than  in  the 
other  parts  of  the  body.  But  still,  as  by  their  means 
the  blood  is  circulated  throughout  the  whole  frame, 
and  thus  life  is  communicated  not  only  to  the  adjoin- 
ing parts,  but  even  to  the  extremities,  where  the  cir- 
culation is  almost  imperceptible  ;  so  in  the  great  so- 
ciety of  mankind  at  large,  the  divine  truths  and  in- 
fluences of  the  Lord  and  his  Word  flow,  in  a  spiri- 
tual manner,  from  the  true  church  to  all  parts  of  that 
spiritual  body,  which  forms  the  Lord's  church  uni- 
versal ;  and  thus  by  an  interior  communion  of  saints, 
or  good  men,  in  every  nation  and  kingdom  of  the 
earth,  they  are  all  united  in  the  bonds  of  love  and 
brotherly  affection,  and  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord  are 
regarded  as  one  angelic  form,  of  which  he  himself  is 
the  very  life  and  soul. 

In  general,  the  church  is  both  internal  and  exter- 
nal ;  it's  internal  consisting  in  love  to  the  Lord  and 
charity  towards  our  neighbour,  and  it's  external  in 
worship  from  a  principle  of  obedience  and  faith.  Or, 
in  another  point  of  view,  the  knowledge  of  truth  and 
good,  together  with  the  practice  thereof,  constitutes 
the  external  of  the  church  ;  while  the  desire  and  love 
of  truth  and  good,  together  with  the  life  thereof,  con- 
stitutes the  internal  of  the  church.  Both,  however, 
ought  to  unite  together,  to  the  completion  and  perfec- 
tion of  the  church,  whether  it  be  considered  as  exist- 
ing among  societies  at  large,  or  with  individuals  in 
particular. 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


There  have  been  four  general  churches  upon  this 
earth  since  the  creation  of  the  world  ;  namely,  the 
first  or  Most  Ancient  Church,  called  also  the  Adamic 
Church,  the  rise,  progress,  and  end  of  which  are  de- 
scribed in  the  first  seven  chapters  of  Genesis  ; — the 
second  or  Ancient  Church,  called  also  the  Noahtic 
Church,  commencing  with  Noah  and  his  sons  after 
the  flood  ; — the  third  or  Jewish  and  Israelitish  Church, 
which  was  rather  the  representative  of  a  future  Chris- 
tian Church,  than  a  real  church  of  itself,  and  a  kind  of 
continuation  of  the  Ancient  Church; — and  the  fourth 
or  Christian  Church,  which  was  founded  by  the  Lord 
when  on  earth,  but  has,  like  all  the  rest,  degenerated, 
and  at  length  expired. 

These  four  general  churches  were  represented  by 
the  statue,  which  was  seen  by  Nebuchadnezzar  in  a 
dream,  whose  head  was  of  gold,  his  breast  and  arms 
of  silver,  his  belly  and  thighs  of  brass,  and  his  legs 
and  feet  of  iron  mixed  with  clay  ;  see  Dan.  ii.  31  to 
S5.  They  were  again  represented  by  the  four  beasts 
rising  up  out  of  the  sea,  Dan.  vii.  3  to  8.  The  same 
were  also  alluded  to  by  the  ancients,  when  they  spake 
of  the  four  ages  of  the  world,  and  compared  them,  in 
reference  to  their  diilerent  qualities,  to  the  four  chief 
metals,  calling  the  first  the  golden  age,  the  second 
the  silver  age,  the  third  the  copper  age,  and  the 
fourth  the  iron  age.  But  the  wisdom  of  the  ancients 
appears  to  have  been  incompetent  to  the  anticipation 
or  prediction  of  a  fifth  age,  which  should  succeed  the 
four  former,  and  comprise  in  it's  character  all  the  va- 
luable properties  of  the  iron,  the  copper,  the  silver, 
and  the  gold.  This  could  only  be  made  known  by 
that  divine  wisdom,  which  embraces  at  one  view  all 
future  states  of  human  society,  which  dictated,  chiefly 
for  the  use  of  that  fifth  age,  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
and  which  has  plainly  revealed  therein,  that  on  the 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


97 


destruction  and  removal  of  the  aforesaid  image,  on 
the  full  determination  of  the  aforesaid  ages,  and  on 
the  commencement  of  a  new  and  eternal  age,  "  the 
"  God  of  heaven  shall  set  up  a  kingdom,  which  shall 
"  never  be  destroyed  ;"  that  he  will  himself  appear 
"  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,"  as  "  the  Son  of  Man" 
and  at  the  same  time  as  "  the  Ancient  of  Days  and 
that  in  this  double  character  he  will  claim  to  himself, 
and  triumphantly  receive,  "  dominion,  and  glory,  and 
"  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and  languages, 
«  should  serve  him ;  whose  dominion  is  an  everlasting 
u  dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  whose 
"kingdom  shall  not  be  destroyed,"  Daniel  ii.  44  j 
chap.  vii.  13,  14.  This  kingdom,  this  age,  this  church, 
is  already  begun  ;  and  it's  name,  which  was  first  pro- 
nounced in  heaven,  and  is  now  repeated  on  earth,  is 
New  Jerusalem. 


XXXVI.  Death  and  Resurrection. 

MAN  was  so  created,  that  as  to  his  internal  he 
can  never  die :  for  he  can  think  of  God,  believe  in 
God,  and  love  God,  and  so  be  conjoined  to  God  by 
faith  and  love.  This  capacity,  which  distinguishes 
man  from  the  brute  beasts,  enables  him  to  live  for 
ever.  His  external,  which  is  called  the  body,  is  in- 
tended to  serve  him  for  uses  in  the  natural  world,  and 
to  lay  as  it  were  the  foundation  of  his  future  and  eter- 
nal existence.  This  external  is  rejected  by  death, 
and,  being  no  longer  needful,  is  never  again  re-as- 
sumed. But  his  internal,  which  is  called  his  spirit, 
is  adapted  to  the  performance  of  uses  in  the  spiritual 
world  ;  and  therefore,  as  before  observed,  it  never 
dies.  This  internal,  after  the  death  of  the  body,  is  a 
good  spirit  or  an  angel,  if  the  man,  while  living  in 
i  2 


98 


A  'compendium  of  the 


the  world,  had  been  a  good  man;  but  it  is  an  e\ii 
spirit  or  a  devil,  if  he  had  been  a  wicked  man. 

The  spirit  of  a  man,  immediately  after  death,  ap- 
pears in  the  spiritual  world  in  a  perfect  human  form, 
exactly  like  a  man  in  the  world.  He  enjoys  also  the 
same  faculties  of  seeing,  hearing,  feeling,  and  speak- 
ing, as  in  the  world  ;  the  same  faculties  of  thinking, 
willing,  and  acting,  as  in  the  world.  In  short,  he  is 
in  every  respect  the  same  man  as  he  was  before,  hav- 
ing neither  lost  nor  gained  any  thing  by  the  change, 
except  the  gross  material  body,  with  which  he  was 
encompassed  in  the  world,  as  with  an  earthly  clog,  or 
as  with  something  almost  foreign  to  his  intrinsic  cha- 
racter of  a  man,  and  which,  being  once  laid  aside,  is 
laid  aside  for  ever.  This  continuation  of  life  is  what 
is  meant  by  the  resurrection. 

The  life  of  man  after  death  is  the  life  of  his  love 
and  of  his  faith :  hence  whatever  may  have  been  the 
quality  of  these,  during  his  abode  in  the  world,  such 
will  his  life  continue  to  be  to  eternity,  because  in  his 
spiritual  state  the  acquired  bias  of  his  mind  can  never 
be  changed.  For  in  order  to  make  any  real  and  per- 
manent change  in  a  man,  it  is  necessary  that  every 
principle  belonging  to  him,  from  the  highest  or  inmost 
to  the  lowest  or  outermost,  be  kept  in  a  state  suscepti- 
ble of  such  change  ;  because  the  renewing  or  regene- 
rating process,  like  that  of  nutrition  in  the  natural 
body,  acts  simultaneously  as  well  as  successively  on 
the  whole  man.  Now  as  the  change  here  spoken  of 
ought,  in  it's  measure  and  degree,  to  affect  every 
principle  at  once,  it  follows,  that  it  is  impossible  for 
it  to  proceed  when  one  of  those  principles,  and  that 
one  the  basis  or  ultimate  plane  of  reception,  is  want- 
ing, or  at  least  quiescent,  and  thus  incapable  of  alte- 
ration. Into  this  state  the  externals  of  the  human 
mind  are  brought  by  the  death  and  rejection  of  the 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN"  RELIGION. 


99 


material  body  :  and  hence  it  is,  that  no  repentance,  no 
real  change  of  life,  can  afterwards  take  place,  but  the 
influent  life  from  the  Lord  and  heaven  is  determined 
and  fixed,  the  moment  it  enters,  according  to  the 
form,  quality,  and  state,  of  the  ultimate  principles  of 
the  mind. 

They,  who  have  loved  themselves  and  the  world 
above  all  things,  and  who  have  not  endeavoured,  by 
the  proffered  means  of  salvation,  to  induce  upon  their 
minds  a  beneficial  change  of  disposition,  while  the 
possibility  was  extended  to  them,  confirm  themselves 
hereafter  more  and  more  in  their  evils,  and  at  last 
enter  wholly  into  the  loves  and  the  life  of  hell.  But 
they,  who  have  loved  the  Lord  above  all  things,  and 
their  neighbour  as  themselves,  and  who  have  endea- 
voured to  live  in  conformity  with  the  divine  laws,  are 
more  and  more  confirmed  in  habits  of  good,  and  at 
length  enter  wholly  into  the  loves  and  the  life  of  hea- 
ven. The  life  of  heaven  is  what  is  called  in  the  Word 
eternal  life  ;  and  the  life  of  hell  is  what  is  called  eter- 
nal death. 

It  is  indeed  the  common  belief,  that  the  material 
body,  which  is  committed  to  the  grave,  will  rise  again 
at  some  future  period,  called  the  day  of  judgment, 
when  the  visible  heavens  and  the  habitable  earth  are 
to  be  destroyed  by  fire  ;  that  these  are  to  be  succeed- 
ed by  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  ;  and  that  in  the 
mean  time  the  souls  of  those  who  are  deceased  are 
either  hovering  in  the  air  in  anxious  suspense  and  ex- 
pectation, or  else  are  dissipated,  being  incapable  of 
living  as  men  until  they  are  re-united  with  their  for- 
mer bodies.  These  and  similar  vain  ideas  have  been 
formed  by  many  in  the  church,  in  consequence  of  not 
understanding  the  true  sense  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures, 
which  treat  of  spiritual  things  under  natural  images  : 
and  they  have  moreover  been  confirmed  therein  by  the 


loo 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


reasonings  of  sensual  men,  who  suppose,  that  all  life 
is  confined  to  the  material  body,  and  that,  as  soon  as 
this  latter  perishes,  the  whole  man  has  lost  his  exist- 
ence, which  can  therefore  only  be  renewed  by  the  re- 
vivification of  the  same  body  that  died.  But  that  man, 
immediately  after  death,  actually  rises  in  the  spiritual 
world,  as  already  stated,  or  continues  to  live  as  a  man 
in  a  spiritual  form  and  body,  similar  in  appearance  to 
his  former  body,  but  essentially  different  from  it  in 
substance,  is  the  clear  and  express  doctrine  of  Divine 
Revelation. 

In  the  Old  Testament  we  read,  that  Samuel,  after 
he  was  dead  and  buried,  appeared  to  Saul,  and  con- 
versed with  him,  his  material  body  still  lying  in  the 
grave:  see  1  Sam.  xxviii.  3,  11  to  19.  But  we  are 
more  particularly  instructed  concerning  this  matter  in 
the  New  Testament,  which  distinctly  states,  that, 
when  our  Lord  was  transfigured  on  the  mountain, 
"  two  men,  which  were  Jloses  and  Ellas,  appeared 
"  to  him  in  glory,  and  spake  of  his  decease,  which  he 
"  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem,"  Luke  ix.  SO,  31. 
Matt.  xvii.  3,  4.  Mark  ix.  4,  5.  To  the  Sadducees, 
who  denied  the  resurrection,  and  started  what  ap- 
peared to  them  as  difficulties  attending  it,  our  Lord 
answered,  "  As  touching  the  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
"  have  ye  not  read  that  which  was  spoken  unto  you 
"  by  God,  saying,  I  am  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the 
"  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  ?  God  is  not  the 
«  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living,"  Matt.  xxii.  31, 
32.  Here  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  are  represented 
as  still  living  in  the  spiritual  world,  though  their  ma- 
terial bodies  were  consigned  to  the  dust.  The  same 
doctrine  of  immediate  resurrection  further  appears 
from  the  case  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus,  the  for- 
mer of  whom  was  seen  to  "  lift  up  his  eyes  in  hell, 
«  being  in  torments,  while  the  latter  was  comforted 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


101 


«  in  Abraham's  bosom,"  Luke  xvi.  19  to  31.  Lastly, 
Jesus  said  to  the  penitent  malefactor  on  the  cross, 
"  To-day  shalt  thou  be  with  me  in  Paradise,"  Luke 
xxiii.  43. 


XXXVII.  Heaven  and  Hell. 

THE  life  of  man's  spirit  consists  in  two  things, 
love  in  his  will,  and  faith  in  his  understanding.  If 
these  be  derived  from  the  Lord,  and  also  directed  to 
him,  and  if  at  the  same  time  man  live  in  charity  with 
his  neighbour,  according  to  the  directions  of  the  Holy 
Word,  in  such  case  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  esta- 
blished within  him.  For,  as  the  Lord  teaches  in  Luke 
xvii.  21,  heaven  is  in  the  internal  of  man,  that  is,  in 
his  will  and  his  understanding,  so  far  as  they  are  in- 
fluenced by  a  right  love  and  a  true  faith  :  from  thence 
it  extends  itself  to  the  external,  that  is,  to  his  actions 
and  speech,  so  far  as  these  are  brought  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  same  love  and  faith.  But  heaven  can- 
not be  in  the  external,  unless  it  be  first  in  the  inter- 
nal :  the  good  that  appears  outwardly,  without  a  cor- 
responding state  of  spiritual  affection  within,  is  merely 
natural  or  hypocritical. 

As  love  to  the  Lord,  and  love  towards  our  neigh- 
bour, together  with  a  true  faith,  which  derives  it's 
essence  from  those  loves,  constitute  the  life  of  heaven  ; 
60  self-love  and  the  love  of  the  world,  together  with  a 
false  faith,  which  in  like  manner  derives  it's  essence 
from  the  last-mentioned  disorderly  loves,  constitute 
the  life  of  hell.  Or  again,  as  the  delight  of  doing 
good,  together  with  the  happiness  attending  it,  con- 
stitutes heaven  ;  so  the  delight  of  doing  evil,  together 
with  the  misery  entailed  upon  it,  constitutes  hell. 
They,  who  have  the  life  of  heaven  within  them  in  this 


102 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


world,  have  the  same  also  after  death,  but  in  much 
greater  fulness  and  perfection,  accompanied  with  a 
joy  and  happiness  exceeding  all  description.  And 
the  heaven,  which  they  carry  within  their  bosoms, 
produces  a  correspondent  heaven  around  them  :  so 
that  according  to  the  degree  and  quality  of  their  love 
to  the  Lord  and  to  their  neighbour,  such  is  their  inter- 
nal and  their  external  felicity,  which  in  both  respects 
is  inconceivable  to  the  natural  mind.  On  the  other 
hand,  they,  who  have  admitted  the  Life  of  hell  to  gain 
the  ascendency  within  them  in  this  world,  continue 
to  be  under  the  same  influence  also  after  death,  but 
in  an  aggravated  degree  ;  while  the  misery  and  un- 
happiness,  which  is  necessarily  entailed  on  the  love 
and  practice  of  evil,  perpetually  assails,  and  wrings 
them  to  the  heart. 

The  fire  of  hell  is  not,  as  many  have  supposed,  ma- 
terial fire ;  for  this  cannot  in  any  wise  affect  or  tor- 
ment a  spirit ;  but  it  is  the  lust  or  delight  of  evil, 
which  consists  in  envy,  hatred,  revenge,  cruelty,  and 
other  deadly  passions.  For  as  the  heat  and  genial 
warmth  of  heaven  is  pure  disinterested  love,  and  uni- 
versal benevolence,  so  infernal  fire  is  the  continual 
burning  desire  of  committing  violence,  and  spreading 
destruction  among  others.  It  is  therefore  written  by 
the  prophet,  "  Wickedness  burnetii  as  the  fire :  it  shall 
"  devour  the  briers  and  thorns,  and  shall  kindle  in  the 
"  thickets  of  the  forest,  and  they  shall  mount  up  like 
"  the  lifting  up  of  smvke:  the  people  shall  be  as  the 
"fuel  of  the  fire :  no  man  shall  spare  his  brother," 
Isa.  ix.18,  19.  In  this  and  many  other  passages  by 
fire  is  meant  the  lust  of  self-love  and  the  love  of  the 
world  ;  and  by  the  smoke  which  ascends,  the  false 
arising  from  and  accompanying  evil. 

In  a  general  point  of  view,  heaven  may  be  said  to 
consist  of  two  kingdoms,  the  celestial  and  the  spiri- 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


103 


tual ;  being  so  called  on  account  of  the  different  loves, 
■which  characterize  the  angels  respectively.  Love  to 
the  Lord  being  in  it's  own  nature  superior  to,  and 
more  heavenly  than,  love  to  the  neighbour,  is  there- 
fore called  a  celestial  love  ;  and  the  angels,  with  whom 
it  predominates,  are  called  celestial  angels:  while 
those,  whose  distinguishing  characteristic  is  neigh- 
bourly love,  are  called  spiritual  angels,  because  their 
love  is  truly  spiritual.  The  celestial  kingdom  is  also 
called  the  priesthood  and  habitation  of  the  Lord  ;  but 
the  spiritual  is  called  his  royalty  and  his  throne.  In 
reference  to  the  former,  the  Lord,  while  in  the  world, 
was  called  Jesus;  and  in  reference  to  the  latter, 
Christ. 

But  besides  the  above  general  arrangement,  the 
universal  heaven  is  also  distinguished  into  three  dis- 
tinct heavens  ;  the  inmost,  highest,  or  third  heaven, 
properly  called  celestial  ;  the  middle  or  second  hea- 
ven, called  spiritual  ;  and  the  lowest  or  first  heaven, 
called  spiritual-natural  and  celestial-natural,  because 
partaking  in  a  comparatively  obscure  degree  of  both 
a  spiritual  and  celestial  quality  by  influx  from  the 
two  former.  These  distinctions  are  similar  to  those, 
which  have  place  in  man,  and  bear  a  certain  relation 
to  the  head,  trunk,  and  feet ;  or  to  the  soul,  body,  and 
act  ;  and  in  reference  to  the  Lord  himself,  from 
whom  heaven  is  derived,  to  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Spirit. 

Again,  heaven  is  further  distinguished  into  innu- 
merable societies  in  each  general  kingdom,  and  in 
each  particular  heaven,  according  to  the  indefinite 
varieties  of  the  reception  of  good  and  truth  from  the 
Lord.  And  although  the  angelic  inhabitants  are  so 
arranged  into  distinct  kingdoms,  heavens,  and  socie- 
ties, yet  there  is  a  communication  between  them  all, 
not  indeed  by  an  open  and  manifest  intercourse  of 


104 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


society  with  society,  or  of  individual  with  individual, 
in  the  different  heavens,  but  by  an  interior  influx  of 
vital  principles  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest  heaven, 
and  by  an  extension  of  the  sphere  of  the  life  of  each 
society  and  individual  :  so  that  the  happiness  of  each 
is  perceived  by  all,  and  the  happiness  of  all  is  recipro- 
cally perceived  by  each. 

Now  as  heaven  in  general  is  distinguished  into  two 
kingdoms,  also  into  three  heavens,  and  into  innumer- 
able societies;  so  in  like  manner  is  hell  distinguished 
into  two  infernal  kingdoms,  also  into  three  hells,  and 
into  innumerable  societies,  all  in  exact  and  direct  op- 
position to  the  angelic  heaven.  Thus  to  the  celestial 
kingdom  is  opposed  the  infernal  or  diabolic,  and  to 
the  spiritual  kingdom  the  satanic.  Moreover  the 
whole  of  the  hells  collectively,  so  far  as  they  are  un- 
der the  influence  of  evils  of  the  will,  are  called  the 
Devil ;  and  so  far  as  they  are  under  the  influence  of 
falses  of  the  understanding,  they  are  called  Satan. 
Hence  spirits  of  the  former  description  are  called  de- 
vils or  genii,  and  they  of  the  latter  description  sa- 
tans  or  evil  spirits.  To  the  first,  second,  and  third 
heaven  are  also  opposed  a  first,  second,  and  third 
hell ;  and  to  every  angelic  society  in  the  heavens,  an 
infernal  or  satanic  society  in  the  hells.  And  as  in 
heaven  love  to  the  Lord  and  mutual  love,  accom- 
panied by  every  species  of  good  and  truth,  produce 
xinspeakable  happiness,  as  before  observed  ;  so,  on 
the  other  hand,  self-love  and  mutual  hatred,  accom- 
panied by  evils  and  falses  of  every  kind,  produce  a 
state  of  misery  and  unhappiness,  which  cannot  be  de- 
scribed. 

The  inhabitants  of  heaven,  as  well  as  those  of  hell, 
are  all  of  the  human  race,  without  a  single  exception. 
The  general  opinion,  that  angels  were  originally  cre- 
ated such,  and  immediately  placed  in  heaven,  with- 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


105 


out  having  first  lived  as  men  in  the  natural  world,  and 
that  many  of  them  afterwards  rebelled,  and  were 
cast  down  from  heaven,  together  with  Lucifer  the  in- 
stigator and  leader  of  the  insurrection,  has  no  founda- 
tion whatever  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  either  of  the 
Old  Testament,  or  of  the  New ;  but  has  arisen  in  the 
church  from  a  misapprehension  of  the  true  sense  of 
those  passages,  wherein  mention  is  made  of  angels,  of 
the  sons  of  God,  and  of  Lucifer  the  son  of  the  morn- 
ing; and  has  been  further  confirmed  by  the  repre- 
sentations of  poets  and  other  fanciful  writers.  The 
true  doctrine  of  divine  revelation  on  this  subject  is, 
that  man  was  created  and  afterwards  formed  into  the 
image  and  likeness  of  God,  with  the  capacity  of  be- 
coming an  angel  or  inhabitant  of  heaven  after  his  de- 
parture out  of  the  natural  world  :  and  hence  on  many 
occasions,  in  the  sacred  pages,  angels  are  expressly 
called  men,  and  men  are  called  angels.*  For  indeed 
every  man,  according  to  the  quality  of  his  life  in  the 
world,  becomes  after  death  either  an  angel  or  a  devil ; 
an  angel,  or  good  spirit,  if  his  life  has  been  good  ;  but 
a  devil,  or  evil  spirit,  if  his  life  has  been  evil.  Nor 
can  his  life,  which  he  acquires  here,  be  ever  changed 
hereafter ;  but  he  abides  in  spirit  such  as  was  the  na- 
ture of  his  ruling  love  :  for  infernal  love  cannot  be 
transmuted  or  converted  into  heavenly  love,  because 
they  are  opposites.  This  is  what  is  meant  by  the 
words  of  Abraham  to  the  rich  man  in  hell :  "  Between 

'  If  the  reader  be  desirous  of  further  satisfying  himself  on 
this  subject,  let  him  read  carefully  the  following'  passages  : 
Gen.  xviii.  1  to  33.  Chap.  xix.  1  to  22.  Josh  v.  13  to  15. 
Judg.  xiii.  3  to  21.  Ezek.  ix.  1  to  11.  Chap.  x.  2  to  7.  Dan. 
viii.  15,  16.  Chap.  ix.  21.  Chap.  x.  5  to  21.  Chap.  xii.  7. 
Zech.  i.  8  to  11.  Chap.  ii.  1  to  3.  Luke  xx.  36.  Apoc.  xix. 
10.   Chap.  xxi.  17.   Chap.  xxti.  8,  9. 


106 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


"  us  and  you  there  is  a  great  gulf  fixed  ;  so  that  they, 
"  who  would  pass  from  hence  to  you,  cannot ;  nei- 
<c  ther  can  they  pass  to  us,  who  would  come  from 
"  thence,"  Luke  xvi.  26.  The  same  is  also  denoted 
by  the  following  :  "  He  that  is  unjust,  let  him  be  un- 
"just  still ;  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let  him  be  filthy 
"  still:  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him  be  righteous 
«  still ;  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy  sfiii," 
Apoc.  xxii.  11.  Whence  it  follows,  that  they,  who 
are  once  consigned  to  hell,  abide  there  to  eternity  ; 
and  they,  who  are  once  raised  by  the  Lord  into  heaven, 
abide  there  also  to  eternity. 


XXXVIII.    The  Intermediate  State,  or  World  of 
Spirits. 

THE  world  of  spirits,  or  that  world  into  which 
every  man  passes  immediately  on  the  death  of  his 
body,  is  an  intermediate  state  and  place  between  hea- 
ven and  hell.  That  there  must  be,  in  the  nature  of 
things,  such  an  intermediate  state,  is  plain  from  a  due 
consideration  of  what  it  is  that  constitutes  heaven, 
and  what  hell ;  and  how  rare  and  uncommon  it  is  for 
either  of  those  states  to  be  perfected  in  the  present 
life.  Now  as  good  and  truth,  together  with  their 
conjunction  in  man,  constitute  heaven  both  within  him 
and  without  him  ;  and  as,  on  the  other  hand,  evil 
and  falsehood,  together  with  their  conjunction  in  man, 
constitute  hell  both  within  him  and  without  him  ;  and 
yet  neither  of  these  two  opposite  states  can  be  sup- 
posed to  be  completed  in  this  life,  every  man  (with 
few  exceptions,  if  any,)  being  partly  in  good  and 
truth,  and  partly  in  evil  and  falsehood  ;  it  therefore 
necessarily  follows,  that  man  dying  in  this  mixed 
state  is,  on  his  first  entrance  into  another  life,  neither 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION'. 


107 


fully  prepared  for  heaven,  nor  fully  prepared  for  hell, 
but  stands  as  it  were  in  the  mid-way  between  both. 

The  good  and  virtuous,  or  they  in  whom  the  love  of 
good  predominates  over  the  love  of  evil,  are  then,  by 
means  of  instruction  suited  to  the  capacity  and  pecu- 
liar disposition  of  each,  by  degrees  delivered  from  the 
various  imperfections,  infirmities,  and  errors,  which 
adhered  to  them  in  their  natural  state  ;  and  are  thus 
prepared  by  the  Lord  for  an  actual  entrance  into  some 
of  the  heavenly  societies,  wherein  they  enjoy,  in  com- 
mon with  angels,  all  the  happiness  of  which  their  love 
and  faith  have  rendered  them  susceptible.  But  the 
wicked,  or  they  in  whom  the  love  of  evil  predominates 
over  the  love  of  good,  are  gradually  divested  of  the 
real  or  apparent  good  and  truth,  which  they  may  pos- 
sess;  and,  after  being  reduced  both  internally  and  ex- 
ternally to  a  full  conformity  to  those  principles  of  evil, 
which  they  had  adopted  in  the  world,  they  are  con- 
signed, or  rather  voluntarily  betake  themselves,  to 
such  of  the  infernal  societies  as  make  one  with  their 
life,  and  with  them  experience  all  the  misery,  which 
is  inseparable  from  their  ruling  love,  and  their  delight 
in  evil. 

This  instruction  of  the  good,  and  vastation  of  the 
evil,  after  death,  is  understood  by  the  Lord's  words 
in  the  Gospel,  where  he  saith,  M  Unto  every  one  that 
"  hath  shall  be  given,  and  he  shall  have  abundance  : 
"  but  from  him  that  hath  not,  shall  be  taken  away  even 
"  that  which  he  hath"  Matt.  xxv.  29. 

The  doctrine  of  an  intermediate  state  and  place  be 
ing  with  difficulty  received  by  those,  who  have  here- 
tofore imagined,  that  man,  the  moment  after  his  death, 
is  either  elevated  into  heaven,  or  cast  down  into  hell, 
it  may  be  proper  to  refer  to  a  few  passages  in  the  Sa- 
cred Scriptures,  wherein  that  doctrine  is  plainly 
+aught. 


108 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


1  Sam.  xxviii.  1 1  to  19.  Samuel,  after  he  \va9  dead, 
first  appeared  to  a  woman  who  had  a  familiar  spirit, 
and  afterwards  to  Saul,  whose  spiritual  eyes  were 
opened  on  the  occasion  :  during  which  interview  Sa- 
muel was  neither  in  heaven  nor  in  hell,  but  in  the 
world  of  spirits  between  both. 

2  King9  vi.  17.  A  mountain  full  of  horses  and  cha- 
riots of  fire  was  seen  in  the  world  of  spirits,  or  inter- 
mediate place  between  heaven  and  hell,  by  Elisha's 
young  man,  when  his  spiritual  eyes  were  opened  for 
the  express  purpose. 

Ezekiel,  chap.  ii.  iii.  viii.  ix.  x.  xxxvii.  xl.  xli.  xlii. 
xliii.  xliv.  xlvi.  xlvii.  In  all  these  chapters  the  pro- 
phet speaks  of  what  he  saw  in  vision,  or  in  the  world 
of  spirits  :  but  particularly  in  chap.  viii.  he  states, 
that,  while  he  was  in  the  spirit,  he  was  lifted  up  be- 
tween the  earth  and  the  heaven  ;  and  in  chap,  xxxvii. 
that  the  spirit  took  him,  and  set  him  down  in  the 
midst  of  a  valley  full  of  dry  bones,  which  afterwards 
received  life.  Now  this  valley  was  neither  in  heaven, 
nor  in  hell,  and  yet  it  was  in  some  part  of  the  spiritual 
world  ;  for  the  prophet  expressly  says,  that  he  was 
taken  there  in  the  spirit.  Whence  it  clearly  follows, 
that  there  is  an  intermediate  state  and  place  between 
heaven  and  hell,  which  being  inhabited  by  spirits  of  a 
mixed  quality,  not  yet  prepared  either  for  the  one  or 
the  other,  is  therefore  called  the  world  of  spirits. 

Daniel,  chap.  vii.  3  to  8,  being  in  spiritual  vision, 
saw  four  great  beasts  come  up  from  the  sea.  He  saw 
likewise,  chap.  viii.  3  to  12,  a  rain  and  a  he-goat,  the 
former  of  which  prospered  for  a  time,  until  the  latter 
smote  him,  cast  him  to  the  ground,  and  stamped  upon 
him.  And  again,  chap.  xii.  7,  being  still  in  the  vision 
of  his  spirit,  he  saw  a  man  clothed  in  linen,  by  the 
side  of  a  river,  who  lifted  up  his  right  hand  and  his 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


109 


left  hand  unto  heaven  ;  and  he  heard  him  swear  by 
him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever.  In  each  of  these 
cases  Daniel  himself  was,  as  to  his  spirit,  in  the  inter- 
mediate world  between  heaven  and  hell ;  and  the  va- 
rious things,  which  he  then  saw,  were  evidently  in  the 
same. 

Zechariah,  chap.  i.  ii.  iii.  iv.  v.  vi.  In  these  chap- 
ters Zechariah  describes  what  he  saw,  when  his  spiri- 
tual eyes  were  opened  to  discern  the  things  of  another 
life ;  among  which  was  an  ephah  with  a  woman  sitting 
in  the  midst  of  it,  and  a  leaden  weight  on  it's  mouth ; 
the  whole  lifted  up  between  the  earth  and  heaven  by 
two  women,  who  had  wings  like  the  wings  of  a  stork, 
chap.  v.  6  to  9. 

Luke  xvi.  26.  Abraham  in  heaven  said  to  the  rich 
man  in  hell,  "  Between  us  and  you  there  is  a  great  gulf 
"  fixed."  This  great  gulf  is  that  intermediate  state 
and  place  between  heaven  and  hell,  of  which  we  are 
speaking. 

Matt,  xxviii.  Mark  xvi.  Luke  xxiv.  John  xx 
Chap.  xxi.  By  each  of  the  Evangelists  we  are  in- 
formed, that  our  Lord,  after  his  resurrection,  was  in 
a  spiritual  state  previous  to  his  ascension  into  heaven  ; 
and  that,  while  in  this  state,  he  at  different  times  ap* 
peared  to  his  disciples,  by  opening  their  spiritual  eyes, 
and  thereby  enabling  them  to  see  his  person,  now  no 
longer  material  as  before.  In  the  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles, chap.  i.  3,  we  also  read,  that  he  continued  no  less 
than  forty  days  in  that  part  of  the  spiritual  world, 
which  lies  between  heaven  and  hell,  and  that  at  length 
he  ascended  towards  heaven,  until  a  cloud  received 
him  out  of  their  sight,  ver.  9. 

Apoc.  i.  10*.  Chap.  iv.  I.  Chap.  vi.  9.  Chap.  vii. 
1.  Chap.  viii.  10.  Chap.  ix.  1,  2.  Chap.  x.  1,  2.  Chap, 
xi.  12.  Chap.  xii.  5.  Chap.  xiii.  1,  11.  Chap.  xvi. 
16.  Chap,  xvik  3.  Chap,  xviii.  1.  Chap.  xix.  17  to 
k  2 


110 


A    COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


21.  Chap.  xx.  1,2,3,7,8,9.  Chap.  xxi.  10.  From 
the  passages  here  referred  to,  and  many  others  in  the 
book  of  Revelation,  the  doctrine  of  an  intermediate 
state,  place,  or  world,  between  heaven  and  helj,  is 
so  plainly  set  forth,  as  to  admit  of  no  reasonable 
doubt.  For  the  Apostle  John  first  declares,  that  he 
was  in  the  spirit,  or  in  spiritual  vision ;  and  then 
that  he  saw  heaven  above  him,  and  the  bottomless 
pit  beneath  him  :  that  he  saw  a  star/a/Z  from  the  one, 
and  smoke  ascend  from  the  other  :  that  he  saw  the 
souls  of  martyrs  under  the  altar,  who  were  not  as  yet 
elevated  into  heaven,  but  were  to  remain  for  a  season 
in  the  place  they  then  occupied,  until  the  number  of 
their  brethren  should  be  fulfilled  :  that  he  saw  four 
angels  standing  on  the  four  corners  of  the  earth  ;  and 
another  angel  standing  with  his  right  foot  upon  the 
sea,  and  his  left  upon  the  earth,  with  his  hand  lifted 
up  towards  heaven :  that  he  saw  a  beast  rise  up  out 
of  the  sea,  and  another  from  the  earth  :  that  the  name 
of  one  of  the  places  in  the  intermediate  world  is  call- 
ed in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Armageddon,  and  is  the 
seat  of  spiritual  war  between  the  powers  of  heaven 
from  above,  and  the  powers  of  hell  from  beneath: 
that  he  was  carried  in  spirit  to  another  place,  called 
the  Wilderness,  where  the  woman,  who  had  brought 
forth  a  man-child,  and  was  persecuted  by  the  dragon, 
was  to  be  nourished  for  a  time,  times,  and  half 
a  time,  from  the  face  of  the  serpent ;  and  where  also 
he  saw  another  woman  sitting  upon  a  scarlet-coloured 
beast,  full  of  names  of  blasphemy :  that  he  saw  an 
angel  come  down  from  heaven,  having  the  key  of  the 
bottomless  pit,  and  a  great  chain  in  his  hand,  who 
laid  hold  of  the  dragon,  that  old  serpent  which  is 
the  devil  and  Satan,  and  cast  him  into  the  bottomless 
pit  for  a  thousand  years ;  after  which  he  was  again  to 
<ome  forth  out  of  hell  into  the  intermediate  state  and 


1RUE   CHRISTIAN  KkLIUIOX. 


Ill 


place,  called  the  world  of  spirits,  where  he  would  stir 
up  a  war  against  the  saints,  lav  siege  to  the  beloved 
city,  but,  on  the  first  attempt  to  storm  it,  would  be 
devoured  by  fire  from  heaven,  and  with  his  partisans 
again  cast  into  hell,  there  to  be  tormented  forever  and 
ever.  Immediately  after  which  great  events  John 
adds,  that  the  first  heaven  and  the  first  earth,  together 
with  the  sea,  passed  away ;  that  a  new  heaven  and  a 
new  earth  succeeded;  and  that  being  carried  in  spirit 
to  a  great  and  high  mountain,  he  saw  the  holy  city, 
New  Jerusalem,  coining  down  from  God  out  of  heaven. 

We  have  been  thus  particular  in  adducing  proofs 
from  the  Sacred  Scriptures  of  the  actual  existence  of 
an  intermediate  state  and  place  between  heaven  and 
hell,  because  many  have  conceived  it  to  be  a  mere 
device  and  groundless  fiction,  invented  by  the  Romish 
church,  for  purposes  of  worldly  gain  ;  not  considering 
that  a  revealed  truth  is  one  thing,  and  the  perversion 
and  abuse  of  it  another.  We  have  therefore  only  fur- 
ther to  observe  on  this  subject,  that  it  is  good  to  keep 
he  mind  always  open  to  conviction. 


XXXIX.    State  of  Children  after  Death. 

IT  being  the  opinion  of  some,  that  no  other  child- 
ren are  saved,  than  such  as  are  born  in  the  christian 
church,  and  baptized,  it  is  of  importance  that  so  cruel 
a  doctrine,  which  consigns  to  eternal  misery  the  most 
innocent  part  of  the  human  race,  be  expunged  from 
the  creed  of  every  community,  and  that  the  real  truth 
respecting  the  state  of  children  after  death  be  made 
known.  The  Lord  by  his  prophet  saith,  «  What  mean 
"  ye,  that  ye  use  this  proverb  concerning  the  land 
"  of  Israel,  saying,   The  fathers  have  eaten  sour 


H2 


A   COMPENDIUM    OF  THE 


"grapes,  and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge? 
"  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovih,  ye  shall  not  have 
"  occasion  any  more  to  use  this  proverb  in  Israel. 
"  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die :  the  son  shall  not 
"  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father,  neither  shall  the 
"  father  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  son  :  the  righteousness 
"  of  the  righteous  shall  be  upon  him,  and  the  wicked- 
"  ness  of  the  wicked  shall  be  upon  him,"  Ezek.  xviii. 
2,  3,  20.  The  Lord  further  declares  concerning  little 
children,  and  especially  concerning  those  represented 
by  them,  viz.  the  innocent  and  the  humble,  that  "  of 
"  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God,"  Mark  x.  14. 

All  infants  and  children,  dying  before  they  come  to 
the  use  of  reason,  and  the  exercise  of  judgment,  whe- 
ther born  within  the  church  or  without  it,  whether 
baptized  or  unbaptized,  and  whether  they  be  the  off- 
spring of  godly  or  of  ungodly  parents,  are  accepted  by 
the  Lord,  and  received  into  heaven  ;  where  they  are 
educated  by  angels  according  to  divine  order,  and, 
after  instruction  and  progressive  advances  in  under- 
standing and  wisdom,  at  length  become  happy  angels 
themselves.  For  as  death  is  only  a  continuation  of 
the  life  begun  in  the  world,  and  man  neither  loses  nor 
gains  any  thing  by  the  change,  (except  that  the  gross 
material  body  is  then  laid  aside,  never  to  be  re-assum- 
ed,) so  in  the  case  of  infants,  they  are  equally  such  in 
the  other  life,  of  like  innocence,  tenderness,  and  igno- 
rance ;  and  therefore,  like  young  plants,  they  must  be 
gradually  introduced  into  the  heavenly  life.  Yet  this 
advantage  attends  them,  above  others  who  live  to  be 
adults,  that,  being  in  innocence,  actual  evil  by  con- 
sent of  will  and  judgment  has  not  taken  root  in  them; 
in  consequence  of  which  they  are  more  easily  recep- 
tive of  instruction  and  heavenly  good. 


rilUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


IIS 


Infants,  as  soon  as  raised  from  death,  which  is  im- 
mediately after  their  decease,  are  taken  up  into  a  hea- 
ven appropriated  to  them,  and  delivered  at  first  into 
the  care  of  such  female  angels,  as  had  been  particu- 
larly fond  of  children  while  in  the  world,  and  who 
also  loved  God.  These  receive  them  as  their  own 
offspring,  and  the  children  in  return  love  them  as  their 
own  mothers ;  each  of  whom  takes  as  many  of  them 
under  her  care,  as  her  tenderness  and  inclination 
prompt  her  to  take.  Though  the  infants,  previous  to 
their  death,  might  not  have  been  able  either  to  walk 
or  to  speak,  yet,  on  their  entrance  into  the  spiritual 
world,  they  are  immediately  capable  of  doing  both, 
but  imperfectly.  They  soon,  however,  improve  in 
these  respects  ;  and  as  their  education  proceeds,  ac- 
cording to  the  disposition  of  each,  which  with  some  is 
of  a  spiritual,  and  with  others  of  a  celestial  character, 
their  intellectual  attainments  become  conspicuous,  and 
all  the  faculties  of  their  minds  are  enlarged.  When 
they  have  completed  their  first  period  under  the  care 
of  their  female  tutors,  they  are  then  translated  to  an- 
other heaven,  where  they  are  instructed  by  angelical 
masters,  and  so  pass  on  to  further  improvements. 

Children  do  not  continue  children  in  heaven,  but 
grow  in  stature  as  they  grow  in  understanding  and 
wisdom,  until  they  appear  as  adults,  and  then  they 
are  ranked  among  the  number  of  angels.  But  it  is  to 
be  noted,  that  in  heaven  children  do  not  advance  in 
their  external  form  and  appearance  beyond  youth,  or 
the  flower  of  their  age,  but  remain  stationary  in  that 
spring-time  of  life  for  ever.  Their  progress,  however, 
in  love,  wisdom,  and  intelligence,  ceases  not,  but 
keeps  pace  with  their  interior  state  of  innocence, 
which  continually  rises  in  degree,  and  crowns  them 
with  a  blessed  and  happy  immortality. 


114 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


It  may  perhaps  be  supposed,  that  infants,  dying 
such,  and  then  growing  up  into  the  angelic  state  of 
perfection,  are  pure  from  all  evil,  seeing  they  had 
not  committed  actual  sins  in  the  world,  like  adults. 
But  this  is  not  the  case  :  for  they  are  tainted  with 
hereditary  corruptions  and  perverse  inclinations,  as 
well  as  others ;  and,  if  left  to  themselves,  would  rush 
into  evils  of  every  kind.  It  is  by  the  divine  mercy 
and  power  of  the.  Lord  alone,  that  they,  in  common 
with  other  angels,  are  kept  from  evil,  and  preserved 
in  good.  And  should  any  of  them  for  a  moment  lose 
sight  of  their  dependence  on  him,  and  entertain  a 
false  conceit  of  their  own  righteousness  and  merit,  as 
though  they  possessed  any  good  of  themselves,  and  not 
from  the  Lord,  they  would  soon  be  convinced  of  their 
error,  by  being  left  for  a  while  to  their  own  here- 
ditary evils.  By  this  experience  they  would  see  and 
acknowledge  themselves  to  be  impure  by  nature,  but 
delivered  from  hell  solely  by  divine  mercy  ;  and  being 
thus  humbled  in  their  own  estimation,  they  would 
again  be  received  into  the  society  of  angels,  to  which 
they  belonged.  That  such  change  of  state  does  really 
take  place  at  times,  there  is  good  reason  to  believe  ; 
and  there  cannot  be  a  doubt,  but  it  is  permitted  for 
the  sake  of  their  further  purification,  and  that  they 
may  be  thereby  qualified  for  the  attainment  of  still 
higher  degrees  of  angelic  perfection. 

It  is  highly  probable,  that  such  infants,  as  die  in 
the  early  stages  of  their  existence,  have  no  recollec- 
tion whatever  of  the  world  in  which  they  were  born ; 
but  that  they  consider  themselves  as  natives  of  hea- 
ven, being  ignorant  of  every  other  kind  of  birth  than 
what  is  spiritual,  and  regarding  the  Lord  alone  as 
their  Parent.  In  consequence  of  their  heavenly  edu- 
cation, and  freedom  from  many  gross  affections  and 
thoughts,  which  others  have  contracted  in  the  natural 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


115 


world,  they  must  be  susceptible  of  more  tender  im- 
pressions of  love  and  charity,  than  those  who  have 
lived  to  adult  age.  Yet,  notwithstanding  these  ad- 
vantages, peculiar  to  deceased  infants,  it  is  consoling 
to  reflect,  that  a  provision  is  made  by  infinite  wisdom 
and  goodness,  that  the  future  condition  of  those,  who 
have  had  a  longer  time  in  this  world,  may  be  equally 
perfect  and  equally  happy,  if,  putting  away  the  cor- 
poreal and  earthly  affections  belonging  to  self-love  and 
the  love  of  the  world,  they  become  receptive  of  such 
as  are  spiritual,  derived  from  love  to  the  Lord,  and 
charity  to  all  mankind. 


XL.    The  Gentiles,  or  Heathens. 

THAT  the  Gentile  nations,  or  those  Heathens  who 
live  out  of  the  pale  of  the  Christian  church,  and  are 
ignorant  of  the  Word  and  name  of  the  Lord,  are  ne- 
vertheless in  a  salvable  state,  as  well  as  those  who 
are  acquainted  with  divine  revelation,  cannot  be 
doubted  by  any  who  believe,  that  "  the  tender  mer- 
"  cies  of  the  Lord  are  over  all  his  works."  The 
Gentiles  are  men,  as  well  as  they  who  are  called 
Christians  :  indeed  they  form  a  very  great  proportion 
of  the  human  race  ;  and  it  cannot  be  imputed  to  them 
as  a  crime,  that  tidings  of  redemption  never  reached 
their  ears.  They  have  the  same  capacity  of  under- 
standing what  is  true,  and  of  willing  what  is  good,  as 
Christians  have,  consequently  the  same  capacity  of 
conjunction  with  heaven.  And  the  Great  Parent  of 
all,  who  gave  them  this  capacity,  gave  it  for  the  pur- 
pose of  rendering  them  happy  for  ever.  He  has 
moreover  in  his  divine  mercy  provided,  that  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth,  as  well  .Mahometan  and  Pagan, 
as  those  that  bear  the  name  of  Christian,  should  be  in 


116  A  COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 

possession  of  some  kind  of  religion,  and  consequently 
that  they  should  have  some  sense  of  a  God,  and  of 
the  duty  incumbent  upon  them  to  pay  respect  to  him 
in  their  life;  these  being  the  things  inculcated  by  eve- 
ry religion. 

To  acknowledge  a  God,  and  to  live  in  conformity 
to  his  will,  according  to  the  dictates  of  conscience, 
bring  heaven  into  the  human  mind,  and  therefore 
must  qualify  the  man  so  living,  whatever  be  his  name, 
his  country,  or  his  creed,  for  the  enjoyment  of  future 
happiness.  Now  it  is  well  known,  that  many  of  the 
Heathens  lead  as  moral  lives  as  Christians,  and  that 
many  of  them  excel  professing  Christians  in  this  par- 
ticular. But  morality  may  be  practised  either  with  a 
view  to  meet  the  divine  approbation,  or  to  gain  the 
applause  of  men.  The  former  is  called  the  spiritual 
life,  because  a  spiritual  principle  is  within  it :  not  so 
the  latter.  Both  outwardly  appear  alike,  but  inward- 
ly and  in  reality  they  are  very  different ;  the  one  be- 
ing profitable  to  salvation,  while  the  other  is  not.  For 
he  who  leads  a  moral  life,  as  commanded  by  God, 
and  out  of  religious  respect  to  him,  is  guided  by  a 
heavenly  and  divine  influence  :  but  he  who  does  the 
same  only  from  human  considerations,  is  actuated  by 
a  worldly  and  selfish  principle.  This  may  be  illus- 
trated by  an  example  :  If  a  person  forbear  to  injure 
his  neighbour,  because  it  would  be  acting  contrary  to 
religion,  and  consequently  to  the  divine  will,  such  for- 
bearance is  from  a  spiritual  origin  :  but  if  lie  refrain 
from  doing  the  like  merely  through  fear  of  the  law, 
loss  of  character,  honour,  or  advantage,  such  restraint 
from  outward  evil,  being  dictated  by  selfish  and  world- 
ly motives,  has  nothing  of  virtue  or  religion  in  it.  And 
so  in  other  cases* 

From  these  observations  may  be  clearly  seen  what 
it  is  that  constitutes  the  heavenly  life,  and  that  this 


1RUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


1  I? 


life  may  be  cultivated  by  men  of  every  religion  in  the 
known  world.  For  the  internal  or  invisible  church  of 
the  Lord  is  universally  extended,  however  narrow- 
may  be  the  limits  of  the  external  or  visible  church ; 
including  all,  wherever  dispersed,  who  live  conscien- 
tiously and  uprightly,  according  to  the  best  of  their 
understanding  and  judgment.  But  at  the  same  time 
it  must  be  admitted,  that  the  heavenly  principle  is  not 
the  same  in  one  as  in  another,  but  that  it  differs  ac- 
cording to  the  difference  of  affection,  which  each  one 
bears  to  what  is  good  and  true.  With  the  Christian, 
who  is  blessed  with  a  more  direct  knowledge  of  the 
true  God,  it  may  be  more  pure  and  genuine,  than 
with  the  Heathen,  who  is  ignorant  of  him.  And  yet 
there  is  reason  to  believe,  that  many  of  the  latter  de- 
scription will  find  a  more  ready  entrance  into  the 
kingdom  of  heaven  hereafter,  than  some  who  have 
been  better  instructed,  but  who,  knawing  their  Mas- 
ter's will,  have  neglected  to  do  it.  This  is  also 
plainly  declared  by  our  Lord  in  these  following 
words  :  "  I  say  unto  you,  that  many  shall  come 
"■from  the  east  and  west,  and  shall  sit  down  with 
"  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  in  the  kingdom 
"  of  heaven  :  but  the  children  of  the  kingdom  shall  be 
"cast  out  into  outer  darkness,''  Matt.  viii.  11,12. 
Luke  xiii.  28,  29. 

We  may  therefore  safely  conclude,  and  rejoice  in 
the  prospect  thus  opened  to  the  mind,  that  adequate 
means  of  salvation  are,  by  the  divine  mercy  and  pro- 
vidence of  the  Lord,  extended  to  all  of  the  human 
race  without  exception  ;  and  consequently  that  men  of 
every  persuasion  or  denomination  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth,  whether  they  be  Christians,  Jews,  Maho- 
metans, or  Pagans,  may  be  saved,  if  they  live  in 
mutual  love  and  charity  from  religious  motives,  ac- 
cording to  the  best  of  their  knowledge  and  under- 


IIS 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


standing.  But  nevertheless  it  results  from  the  whole 
evidence  of  divine  revelation,  that  the  new  and  true 
Christian  religion,  inasmuch  as  it  is  more  immediately 
derived  from  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who 
is  the  One  Only  God  of  heaven  and  earth,  is  of  all  re- 
ligions the  most  capable  of  effecting  close  and  intimate 
conjunction  with  him  ;  and  on  that  account  is  to  be 
esteemed  more  excellent,  more  heavenly,  and  more 
divine,  than  any  other. 


XLI.    Divine  Providence. 

THE  Lord's  government  in  heaven  and  on  earth  is 
called  providence :  and  as  all  the  good  of  love,  and 
all  the  truth  of  faith,  which  contribute  to  salvation, 
are  solely  derived  from  him,  and  not  in  the  smallest 
degree  from  man,  it  hence  follows,  that  the  divine 
providence  of  the  Lord  enters  into  all  and  singular 
things  tending  to  the  salvation  of  the  human  race. 
He  therefore  says,  "  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth, 
"  and  the  life,"  John  xiv.  6.  And  in  another  place, 
"  As  the  branch  cannot  bear  fruit  of  itself,  except  it 
«  abide  in  the  vine  ;  no  more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide 
«  in  me :  for  without  me  ye  can  do  nothing,"  John 
xv.  4,  5. 

It  is  supposed  by  many,  that  the  divine  providence 
is  only  universal,  or  has  respect  only  to  the  great  and 
general  affairs  of  the  world,  and  of  human  society  j 
and  that  particular  or  minute  circumstances,  as  if  un- 
worthy of  the  notice  of  the  Supreme  Being,  are  left 
to  the  prudence  and  regulation  of  man.  Wherefore, 
when  they  see  the  wicked  raised  to  honours,  wealth, 
and  various  kinds  of  worldly  success,  in  preference  to 
the  good,  they  say  in  their  hearts,  that  this  would 
not  be  the  case,  if  there  were  a  divine  providence  in 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


1 19 


all  the  minute  occurrences  of  life.  But  such  persons 
do  not  consider,  that  an  universal  consists  of  things 
singular,  ami  that  an  admission  of  the  one  necessarily 
implies  the  existence  of  the  other  also  ;  that  what  ap- 
pear a  great  and  important  event  to  man,  is  not  such 
in  the  divine  estimation,  but  that  all  occurrences  in 
life,  whether  called  great  or  small,  are  equal  in  his 
sight;  that  there  is  only  one  single  fountain  of  life, 
which  is  the  Lord,  from  whom  we  derive  our  being, 
our  life,  and  all  our  powers  of  action  ;  and  conse- 
quently that  nothing  can  possibly  occur,  without  his 
superintending  eye,  and  directing  hand. 

The  divine  providence  regards  for  it's  end,  not 
that  which  is  of  transitory  duration,  and  ceases  to  ex- 
ist with  man's  life  in  the  world,  but  that  which  remains 
to  eternity,  and  thus  has  no  termination.  That  which 
has  no  end,  may  be  truly  said  to  be  ;  but  that  which 
has  an  end,  even  though  it  may  endure  for  years, 
yea  for  ages,  compared  with  eternity,  is  not,  and 
therefore  may  be  considered  respectively  as  nothing. 
From  this  view  of  the  subject  then  it  may  be  plainly 
seen,  that  worldly  eminence  and  opulence  are  not  in 
themselves  divine  blessings,  though  man,  from  the 
pleasure  they  yield  him,  may  so  call  them  ;  because 
they  soon  pass  away,  and  also  become  the  occasion  of 
seducing  many,  and  of  turning  them  from  heaven  : 
but  that  life  eternal  and  it's  felicity,  together  with  all 
the  things  tending  to  promote  such  a  state,  are  real 
blessings  proceeding  from  the  Lord  ;  in  agreement 
with  which  he  saith  in  the  Gospel,  "  Lay  not  up  for 
"  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth  and 
"  rust  do  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  break  through 
M  and  steal :  but  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in 
«  heaven,  where  neither  moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt, 
«  and  where  thieves  do  not  break  through  nor  steal : 
«  for  where  your  treasure  is,  there  will  your  heart  be 
«  also,"  Matt.  vi.  19  to  21. 


L20 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


The  reason  why  the  wicked  so  frequently  succeed 
in  their  enterprizes  is,  because  it  is  according  to  di- 
vine order,  that  every  one  should  act  from  a  principle 
of  rationality,  and  also  from  liberty.  Wherefore,  un- 
less man  were  left  thus  to  act,  and  unless  his  endea- 
vours were  occasionally  crowned  with  success,  as  if 
it  were  the  mere  effect  of  his  own  prudence,  he  could 
not  be  brought  into  a  fit  state  for  the  reception  of  eter- 
nal life ;  for  this  can  only  be  communicated  to  him, 
while  he  is  in  freedom  as  to  the  will,  and  at  the  same 
time  in  the  exercise  of  his  Understanding. 

When  man  is  left  to  his  liberty  to  think,  to  will, 
and,  so  far  as  the  laws  do  not  restrain  him,  to  do  evil, 
this  is  called  permission ;  and  such  permission  is 
agreeable  to  the  laws  of  divine  order,  because  with- 
out it  he  could  not  be  reformed,  and  consequently 
could  not  be  saved  ;  so  essential  is  it  to  preserve  man 
in  a  state  of  liberty.  But  it  is  well  to  be  observed, 
that  the  permission  of  evil,  on  the  part  of  the  Lord, 
is  not  a  permission  as  of  one  who  wills  the  evil,  but 
as  of  one  who  wills  it  not,  but  who  yet  cannot  pre- 
vent it,  by  reason  of  the  urgency  of  the  end,  which 
is  the  salvation  of  man.  On  this  account  also  the  di- 
vine providence  acts  invisibly,  and  as  it  were  behind 
the  curtain,  both  with  respect  to  those  events  which 
seem  to  be  brought  about  by  human  prudence,  and 
with  respect  to  those  which  assume  the  appearance  of 
contingency,  chance,  fortune,  or  fatality  ;  in  each  of 
which  cases  it  is  most  intimately  present,  and  opera- 
tive according  to  the  various  states  and  circumstances 
of  individuals,  of  societies,  and  of  whole  nations. 
Were  it  otherwise,  a  mere  external  faith,  arising 
from  sense  and  sight,  would  be  forced  upon  the  mind, 
freedom  of  will  would  be  infringed,  and  thus  the  re- 
formation and  salvation  of  man  would  be  placed  out 
of  the  reach  of  possibility. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


121 


Hence  it  is  granted  to  no  one  to  see  the  divine  pro- 
vidence in  front,  or  before  an  actual  event  has  made 
it  manifest ;  and  this  for  wise  purposes,  lest  the  pro- 
prium  or  will  of  man  should  enter  into  it,  and  so  dis- 
turb the  order  of  it's  progression  ;  the  consequence  of 
which  would  be,  to  render  ineffectual  every  effort  of 
the  divine  mercy  to  save  him.  But  it  is  allowable  to 
see  the  divine  providence  from  behind,  or  after  it  has 
taken  effect :  for  in  such  a  view  of  it  the  will  of  man 
cannot  interfere  with  the  order  and  tenor  of  it's 
course  ;  but  by  the  exercise  of  an  enlightened  reason 
he  may  discern  the  most  evident  traces  of  divine  love 
and  wisdom  in  a  wonderful  series  of  concurrent  cir- 
cumstances, which  have  all  conspired  to  produce  the 
given  event;  and  thus  discerning  them,  he  will  with 
gratitude  and  holy  veneration  acknowledge  and  con- 
fess them.  In  this  sense  we  may  understand  and  ap- 
ply the  words  of  Jehovah  to  Moses,  when  he  desired 
to  see  his  glory  :  "  Thou  canst  not  see  my  face  ;  for 
"  there  shall  no  man  see  me,  and  live.  And  Jehovah 
"  said,  Behold,  there  is  a  place  by  me,  and  thou  shalt 
"  stand  upon  a  rock.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass, 
"  while  my  glory  passeth  by,  that  I  will  put  thee  in 
"  a  clift  of  the  rock,  and  will  cover  thee  with  my 
"  hand,  while  I  pass  by.  And  I  will  take  away  my 
"  hand,  and  thou  shalt  see  my  back-parts  ;  but  my 
"face  shall  not  be  see;i,"  Exod.  xxxiii.  20  to  23. 

With  the  Lord  there  is  providence,  and  also  pre- 
vidence  or  foresight ;  for  the  one  cannot  exist  without 
the  other.  Good  is  provided,  and  evil  is  /jrevided  or 
foreseen  :  the  former  is  all  of  the  Lord,  the  latter  is 
all  of  man.  And  yet,  though  every  possible  evil  is 
foreseen,  and  every  possible  good  is  provided  by  the 
Lord,  there  is  still  no  such  thing  as  absolute  predes- 
tination, nor  a  blind,  unmerciful  fatality  :  but  the  go- 
vernment of  the  universe,  more  especially  of  man, 
l  2 


122 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


which  is  a  truly  paternal  government,  and  includes  the 
ministration  of  angels  and  good  spirits,  is  maintained 
with  infinite  justice,  with  infinite  wisdom,  and  with 
infinite  love. 


XLII.  Miracles. 

AS  free-will  in  spiritual  things  is  an  essential  re- 
quisite in  the  reformation,  regeneration,  and  salvation 
of  man  ;  and  as  the  New  Church  meant  by  the  New 
Jerusalem  is  founded  on  the  Word  now  opened  by  the 
Lord,  and  will  be  established  on  principles  of  perfect 
liberty  and  sound  rationality  ;  therefore  miracles  are 
not  to  be  looked  for  in  the  present  day,  because  they 
have  a  direct  tendency  to  close  the  mind  against  the 
perception  of  truth,  to  compel  assent  without  rational 
conviction,  and  to  remove  from  man  that  freedom  of 
judgment  and  self-determination,  which  are  necessary 
to  his  becoming  an  image  and  likeness  of  his  Creator. 

Before  and  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  miracles 
were  indeed  wrought  among  the  Jewish  and  lsraeli- 
tish  people.  But  it  is  evident  from  their  whole  his- 
tory, as  recorded  in  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
that  the  effect  produced  on  their  minds  by  such  means 
was  not  a  rational  conviction  of  divine  truth,  but  a 
mere  superficial  impression,  which  awed  thein  for  a 
moment  into  a  kind  of  external  acquiescence  and  ac- 
knowledgment, that  the  power  competent  to  perform 
those  wonders  was  supernatural.  By  this  sentiment 
of  fear,  which  rather  stupified  than  awakened  their 
rational  faculties,  they  were  urged  to  the  observance 
of  the  various  ceremonies  peculiar  to  their  religion, 
especially  to  the  worship  of  Jehovah,  from  which 
however  they  were  continually  declining  into  open 
acts  of  idolatry.    Although  they  had  seen  so  many  mi- 


TftUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


123 


racles  in  Egypt,  and  afterwards  the  red-sea  divided  ; 
the  Egyptians  immersed  therein  ;  the  pillar  of  a  cloud 
going  before  them  by  day,  and  a  pillar  of  fire  by 
night ;  manna  daily  rained  down  from  heaven  for  their 
particular  use,  and  water  gushing  out  of  the  rock  as 
soon  as  it  was  smitten  by  the  rod  of  Moses  ;  and  al- 
though they  had  seen  mount  Sinai  altogether  enveloped 
in  smoke,  when  Jehovah  descended  upon  it  in  fire, 
in  the  midst  of  supernatural  thunderings,  lightnings, 
and  the  loud  sound  of  a  trumpet ;  and  had  heard  the 
voice  of  Jehovah  speaking  from  the  mountain,  with 
other  most  extraordinary  tokens  of  the  divine  presence 
and  power  ;  yet  how  soon  did  they  forget  these  won- 
ders, and  turn  to  the  worship  of  a  senseless  calf,  tiie 
workmanship  of  their  own  hands! 

The  same  infidelity  and  hardness  of  heart  continued 
with  their  posterity  through  every  period  of  their  his- 
tory. Hence  neither  the  miracles  of  their  prophets, 
nor  even  those  of  the  Lord  himself,  when  he  appear- 
ed among  them,  had  the  effect  of  changing  their  cha- 
racter, or  inspiring  them  with  any  thing  like  a  pure 
and  genuine  faith.  It  is  therefore  written  of  them, 
that  "  though  he  had  done  so  many  miracles  before 
"  them,  yet  they  believed  not  on  Aim,"  John  xii.  37. 

Miracles  then  have  no  such  power,  as  many  as- 
cribe to  them,  of  convincing  the  understanding,  or 
producing  in  the  mind  a  rational  and  wholesome 
faith  :  neither  can  they  be  considered  as  the  sure  and 
proper  evidences  of  a  divine  mission.  For  (not  to  men- 
tion the  cases  of  many  of  the  prophets,  and  among  the 
rest  of  John  the  Baptist,  who  performed  no  miracle 
whatever,)  we  read,  that,  when  Moses  and  Aaron  ex- 
hibited before  Pharaoh  the  signs  or  proofs  of  their 
authority,  by  turning  a  rod  into  a  serpent,  and  all  the 
waters  of  Egypt  into  blood,  and  also  by  bringing  up 
frogs  upon  all  thz  land,  the  magicians  with  their  in- 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


chant  ments  did  the  same :  Pharaoh  therefore  harden- 
ed his  heart,  and  refused  to  listen  to  the  message, 
with  which  they  were  charged  from  Jehovah.  Simi- 
lar, in  all  probability,  would  be  the  conduct  of  many 
in  the  present  day,  were  really  divine  miracles  again 
to  be  performed :  they  would  either  be  referred  to 
some  incomprehensible  operations  of  nature,  or  else 
be  rejected  as  phantasms  and  crafty  deceptions;  and 
such  persons,  as  ascribed  them  to  a  divine  power, 
would  be  held  in  derision,  or  pitied  for  their  simpli- 
city. 

The  reason  why  miracles  were  performed  among 
the  Jews  in  ancient  times,  and  not  among  Christians 
in  the  present  day,  is,  because  the  former  were  so 
immersed  in  natural  and  corporeal  affections,  that  they 
were  incapable  of  discerning  the  interior  spiritual 
truths  of  revelation  ;  neither  could  these  be  laid  before 
them  without  danger  of  profanation  :  on  which  account 
the  Lord  spake  to  that  people  in  parables,  "  that  see- 
"  ing  they  might  see,  and  not  perceive,  and  hearing 
"  they  might  hear,  and  not  understand Mark  iv. 
12.  Whereas  now,  since  the  introduction  and  estab- 
lishment of  Christianity  in  the  world,  the  rational  fa- 
culties of  the  human  mind  are  more  capable  than  be- 
fore of  being  exercised  on  subjects  of  a  divine  nature, 
especially  in  respect  to  the  Lord,  his  Word,  the 
cl.urch,  and  a  state  of  immortality  in  another  life. 
The  miracles,  therefore,  which  were  displayed  among 
the  Jewish  and  Israelitish  people  in  the  times  alluded 
to,  were  performed,  not  with  the  design  of  forming 
them  into  a  real  spiritual  church,  (for  this  was  not 
do!>e,  nor  could  it  possibly  be  effected,  by  any  such 
external  means  as  miracles.)  but  for  the  purpose  of 
compelling  them  to  become  the  mere  representative  of 
a  church,  that  all  their  rites,  ceremonies,  and  acts  of 
public  worship  might  typify,  shadow  forth,  and  thus 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


125 


represent  the  Christian  dispensation,  together  with  the 
great  process  of  man's  regeneration,  and  above  all 
that  of  the  Lord's  glorification.  The  miraculous 
cures,  which  were  performed  on  the  bodies  of  the 
blind,  the  deaf,  the  lame,  and  the  sick,  were  in  like 
manner  representative  of  those  divine  operations  upon 
the  spirit  of  man,  whereby  his  understanding  is  en- 
lightened, his  affections  purified,  and  his  whole  life 
renewed,  through  the  medium  of  a  true  and  genuine 
faith,  directed  solely  to  the  Lord  in  his  Divine  Hu- 
manity. 

There  appears  also  to  have  been  a  further  reason 
why  the  dispensation  of  miracles  was  formerly  given, 
but  is  with -held  in  latter  times  ;  namely,  that  the  canon 
of  Sacred  Scripture  might  be  written  and  completed, 
while  the  representative  church  was  in  a  state  favour- 
able to  it's  dictation  in  ultimates  :  for  it's  divine  truths 
could  not  have  been  concentrated  in  the  literal  form 
and  basis,  in  which  we  now  behold  it,  and  conse- 
quently could  not  have  been  accommodated  to  the 
capacity  of  man  in  all  future  ages,  unless  a  series  of 
miraculous  appearances  had  been  exhibited  and  regis- 
tered. From  which  consideration  it  follows,  that  it 
was  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  the  A\Tord,  which  is  the 
uniting  link  between  heaven  and  the  church,  and  to 
point  out  the  divine  omnipotence  of  the  Lord,  as  well 
in  spiritual  as  in  natural  things,  that  such  extraor- 
dinary miracles,  as  we  find  recorded  in  it,  have  actu- 
ally taken  effect.  But  having  been  transacted  before 
men,  with  whom  the  internals  of  the  mind  were  al- 
ready closed,  and  by  whom  consequently  no  further 
spiritual  injury  was  likely  to  be  sustained  from  the 
display  of  supernatural  powers,  the  volume  of  revela- 
tion, couched  under  the  language  of  history,  pro- 
phecy, and  evangelism,  was  written  in  different  suc- 
cessive periods,  and  at  length  fully  completed,  it's 


126 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


letter  being  made  perfectly  correspondent  with  it's 
divine  spirit. 

Henceforth,  therefore,  no  other  miracle  is  required 
in  the  church,  than  the  opening  of  the  eyes  of  the  un- 
derstanding, the  renovation  of  the  heart  and  affec- 
tions, a  confoimity  of  the  life  to  the  holy  and  divine 
precepts  of  the  Word,  and  the  actual  descent  of  the 
New  Jerusalem  from  heaven  to  earth.  Effects  like 
these,  wheresoever  or  with  whomsoever  they  take 
place,  are  truly  miraculous,  because  they  are  super- 
natural, and  plainly  bespeak  a  divine  power,  which  is 
alone  capable  of  producing  them. 


XLIII.  The  Laws  of  Divine  Order,  by  which  all  the 
Divine  Operations  are  conducted. 

NOTHING  is  more  important  for  man  to  know, 
than  that  all  the  divine  operations  towards  him  are 
under  the  regulation  of  laws,  which  can  never  be 
transgressed.  For  otherwise  he  might  imagine,  that 
the  divine  mercy  being  infinite,  and  the  divine -power 
unlimited,  whatsoever  the  Supreme  Being  might  will, 
his  omnipotence  can  effect,  without  any  regard  to  the 
fitness  or  unfitness  of  the  subject,  in  and  towards 
whom  he  would  display  them.  And  hence  too  many 
have  concluded,  that  as  his  love  wills  the  salvation  of 
all  his  creatures,  and  his  wisdom  knows  how  to  accom- 
plish it,  therefore  his  omnipotence  is  engaged  to  com- 
plete the  work,  if  not  at  one  period,  yet  at  another; 
if  not  in  this  life,  yet  in  some  future  stage  of  exist- 
ence, when  evil  itself  shall  be  abolished,  and  every 
intelligent  being  made  completely  happy. 

Again,  there  are  others,  who,  in  like  manner  be- 
lieving God  to  be  omnipotent,  according  to  the  vul- 
gar notion  of  omnipotence,  and  yet  reading  in  the 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


127 


Sacred  Scriptures,  that  some  few,  called  the  elect, 
will  be  saved,  and  the  rest  totally  lost,  conclude  in 
their  own  minds,  and  even  assert  in  their  doctrine, 
that  the  one  class  is  unconditionally  predestinated  to 
heaven,  while  the  other  class,  consisting  of  a  great 
majority  of  the  human  race,  is  consigned  to  eternal 
damnation  without  hope  or  means  of  redemption. 

It  is  also  a  prevailing  opinion,  not  only  among  the 
simple  and  illiterate,  but  even  among  the  learned  and 
wise,  (if  they  can  be  called  such,  who  know  nothing 
of  the  laws  of  divine  order,)  that  God,  being  omnipo- 
tent, created  the  world  out  of  nothing  by  the  mere 
utterance  of  a  word  ;  that  he  governs  it  also  in  an  ar- 
bitrary manner,  by  a  power  resembling  the  absolute 
power  of  an  earthly  monarch  ;  that,  if  he  please,  he 
can  at  any  time  change  the  respective  qualities  and 
tendencies  of  his  creatures;  that  he  can  purge  every 
sinner  upon  earth,  in  a  moment,  from  his  sins ;  that 
he  can  renew,  sanctify,  regenerate,  and  make  him  a 
child  of  grace  instead  of  a  child  of  wrath,  that  is, 
justify  him  merely  by  the  application  and  imputation 
of  the  righteousness  and  merits  of  his  Son.  In  short, 
it  is  almost  universally  believed,  that  the  divine  omni- 
potence is  regulated  by  no  laws  whatever,  but  that 
it  can  accomplish  any  thing  or  everything  that  can  be 
proposed,  however  absurd  or  contradictory  in  itself ; 
consequently  that  salvation  may  be  effected  on  the 
part  of  God,  without  any  regard  to  the  freedom  and 
rationality  of  man,  or  the  necessity  of  his  co-operation 
in  appropriating  to  himself  those  principles  of  spir  itual 
life,  which,  when  so  received,  can  alone  prepare  him 
for  a  state  of  future  happiness. 

But  the  groundless  surmises,  above  stated,  vanish 
from  the  mind,  when  it  is  known,  that  all  the  divine 
operations  towards  man  are  conducted  by  laws  of  or- 
der, in  themselves  immutable,  because  of  the  same 


128 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE, 


essence  with  him,  from  whom  they  proceed.  These 
laws  are  the  divine  truths  of  the  Holy  Word,  which 
together  constitute  that  order,  whereby  man  is  to  be 
formed  anew,  and  from  which  even  omnipotence  it- 
self cannot  swerve.  Nay,  the  divine  omnipotence,  so 
far  from  acting  contrary  to,  or  independent  of,  the 
Word,  uniformly  exerts  itself  by  and  according  to  it's 
laws  :  and  it  is  this  very  circumstance,  that  causes  it 
to  be  what  it  really  is.  The  reason  why  the  angels  of 
heaven  so  far  excel  the  spirits  of  hell  in  respect  to 
power,  is,  because  the  former  act  agreeably  to  order, 
while  the  latter  are  in  opposition  to  it:  and  in  propor- 
tion to  their  love  of,  and  agreement  with  order,  such 
invariably  is  their  power.  Were  they  to  depart  from 
order,  their  power  would  depart  from  them  at  the 
same  time.  Just  so,  God,  being  infinite  and  essential 
order,  is  in  consequence  thereof  possessed  of  infinite 
and  essential  power.  Were  he  in  any  measure  to  de- 
part from  his  own  order,  he  would  in  the  same  propor- 
tion immediately  lose  his  omnipotence.  But  as  to  de- 
part from  order  would  be  the  same  thing  as  to  depart 
from  himself,  it  is  evident,  that  the  divine  omnipotence 
can  perform  nothing  but  what  is  consistent  with  the 
laws  of  order,  and  that  every  supposition  to  the  con- 
trary is  both  irrational  and  absurd. 

Every  particular  thing  in  nature  was  created  ac- 
cording to  it's  proper  order;  and  each  is  formed  upon 
such  a  principle,  as  to  unite  with  the  common  order 
of  the  universe.  For  example  ;  man  was  created  ac- 
cording to  his  order,  and  likewise  every  particular 
part  of  man  according  to  it's  order  ;  as  the  head  and 
body  according  to  their  orders ;  the  heart,  the  lungs, 
the  stomach,  and  other  viscera,  according  to  their  or- 
ders; every  organ  of  motion,  every  muscle,  fibre, 
and  vessel,  according  to  it's  order;  and  every  organ 
of  sense,  as  the  eye,  the  ear,  and  the  tongue,  accord- 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION". 


129 


ing  to  it's  order ;  all  of  which  are  so  connected  and 
interlinked  with  the  general  order  of  the  whole,  as  to 
constitute  together  only  one  human  system.  The  case 
is  similar  in  other  instances,  as  in  every  beast  of  the 
earth,  every  bird  of  the  air,  every  fish  of  the  sea, 
every  worm  and  creeping  thing,  even  to  the  minutest 
insect;  all  of  which  were  in  like  manner  created  ac- 
cording to  their  respective  orders.  It  is  the  same  with 
every  tree,  shrub,  herb,  and  plant;  and  lastly  with 
every  stone  and  mineral,  even  to  the  smallest  grain  of 
sand,  and  with  every  drop  of  water  in  the  ocean  ;  all 
of  which  were  created  and  still  subsist  according  to 
the  order  originally  inscribed  on  each. 

Now  in  the  various  cases  above  mentioned,  it  is 
easy  to  see,  that  the  perfection  of  the  creature  depends 
upon  the  preservation  of  it's  proper  order  :  and  this 
would  have  been  especially  the  case  with  man,  had 
he  continued  in  the  order  of  his  creation,  with  respect 
to  the  exercise  of  those  faculties,  which  were  placed 
under  his  control.  Yet  even  as  he  is  now  circum- 
stanced, his  perfection  and  power  depend  entirely  on 
his  acting  according  to  those  principles  of  right  or- 
der, in  which  he  was  at  first  created,  and  to  which 
he  may  again  in  a  great  degree  be  restored,  by  the 
use  of  the  means  provided  for  that  purpose. 

Such  then  being  the  case  with  the  natural  subjects 
of  creation,  and  particularly  with  man,  whose  powers 
both  of  mind  and  body  can  rise  to  their  highest  state 
of  perfection  solely  by  his  return  to,  and  perseverance 
in,  the  proper  order  of  his  life  ;  how  much  more  justly 
and  truly  may  it  be  said  of  Him,  who  is  divine  order 
itself,  that  his  omnipotence  arises  from  his  invariable 
observance  of  those  divine  laws,  which  his  own  infi- 
nite perfections  have  prescribed  !  For  the  divine  will 
and  the  divine  power  are  one:  and  since  God  wills 
nothing  but  what  is  good,  it  follows,  that  he  can  do 

M 


ISO 


A   COMPENDIUM   OP  THE 


nothing  but  what  is  good  also,  and  this  in  the  way 
and  manner  dictated  by  his  own  infinite  wisdom  in  the 
Sacred  Scriptures  of  divine  truth.  He  cannot  con- 
demn, cast  into  hell,  or  predestinate  the  soul  of  any 
person  to  eternal  death.  He  cannot  avenge  injuries ; 
neither  can  he  be  angry,  or  punish.  He  cannot  even 
turn  away  his  face  from  any  one,  or  regard  him  with 
the  least  severity  of  countenance ;  these  and  the  like 
acts  being  totally  contrary  to  his  essence,  and  conse- 
quently contrary  to  himself.  Wheresoever,  therefore, 
expressions  of  the  kind  are  found  in  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, they  are  to  be  interpreted  solely  in  reference 
to  the  wickedness  of  man,  who  judges  of  the  Lord  ac- 
cording to  the  evil  state  of  his  own  mind.  And  as  it 
appears  to  the  wicked,  when  they  suffer  the  punish- 
ment due  to  their  crimes,  that  it  is  inflicted  upon  them 
by  the  Lord,  whom  they  suppose  to  be  then  angry 
with  them,  because  he  does  not  immediately  remove 
it,  therefore,  in  agreement  with  such  appearance, 
anger,  wrath,  and  fury,  are  frequently  ascribed  to  him 
in  the  Word,  when  yet,  as  before  observed,  nothing 
can  in  reality  be  more  foreign  to  the  divine  nature ; 
since,  as  the  Psalmist  says,  "  Jehovah  is  good  to  all ; 
"  and  his  tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works," 
Ps.  cxlv.  9. 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  equally  true,  that  God  can- 
not, by  any  mere  act  of  mercy  and  omnipotence,  con- 
vert evil  into  good,  hell  into  heaven,  a  devil  into  an 
angel,  or  an  impenitent  sinner,  who  obstinately  refuses 
the  terms  of  salvation,  into  an  heir  of  eternal  life. 
These  things  are  not  within  the  limits  of  divine  order, 
and  therefore  cannot  be  performed  by  any  sovereign 
or  absolute  act  even  of  omnipotence  itself.  The  only 
way,  as  already  stated,  whereby  the  divine  operations 
can  effectually  change  a  man,  is  that  laid  down  in  the 
Holy  Word.,  which  is,  that  he  suffer  himself  to  be 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


13] 


brought  into  order,  anil  reciprocally  on  his  part  en- 
deavour to  enter  into  conjunction  with  the  Lord,  while 
the  Lord  on  his  part  enters  into  conjunction  with  him, 
agreeably  to  these  words  in  the  Gospel,  "  Abide  in  me, 
"and  I  in  i/oj/,"  John  xv.  4. 


XLIY.  The  Divine  Science  of  Correspondences,  ac- 
cording- to  which  the  Sacred  Scriptures  are  written 
throughout. 

IT  is  generally  acknowledged,  that  the  "Word  is 
holy,  inasmuch  as  Jehovah  the  Lord  spake  it :  but  be- 
cause it's  holiness  does  not  in  all  cases  appear  in  the 
literal  sense,  therefore  they  who  once  begin  to  doubt 
about  it's  holiness  on  that  account,  in  the  future  course 
of  their  reading  confirm  their  doubts  by  many  passages 
they  meet  with,  saying  in  themselves,  Can  this  be 
holy  ?  Can  this  be  divine  ?  Now  to  prevent  the  influ- 
ence of  such  doubts  on  men's  minds,  lest  they  should 
become  general,  and  the  Word  of  God  should  be  re- 
jected as  a  common  trivial  writing,  and  thereby  the 
Lord's  conjunction  with  man  should  be  cut  off,  it  has 
pleased  the  Lord,  at  this  time,  to  reveal  it's  spiritual 
sense,  for  the  purpose  of  discovering  to  mankind 
wherein  it's  divine  sanctity  lies  concealed.  But  this 
may  be  best  illustrated  by  examples. 

In  the  Word  we  find  frequent  mention  made  of 
Egypt,  of  Assyria,  of  Edom,  of  Moab,  of  the  children 
of  Ammon,  of  the  Philistines,  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  and 
of  Gog.  They  now,  who  do  not  know,  that  by  these 
names  the  things  of  heaven  and  of  the  church  are 
signified,  may  easily  be  led  into  an  erroneous  no- 
tion, that  the  Word  treats  much  of  people  and  na- 
tions, and  but  little  of  heaven  and  the  church,  conse- 
quently much  about  earthly  things,  and  but  little 


152 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


about  heavenly  things  :  whereas,  were  such  persons 
acquainted  with  what  is  signified  by  those  people  and 
nations,  or  by  their  names,  they  might  then  be  led 
out  of  error  into  truth.  In  like  manner,  when  it  is 
observed,  that  in  the  Word  frequent  mention  is  made 
of  gardens,  groves,  woods,  and  also  of  the  trees  that 
grow  therein,  as  the  olive,  the  vine,  the  cedar,  the 
poplar,  and  the  oak.  ;  also  of  lambs,  sheep,  goats, 
calves,  and  oxen  ;  and  likewise  of  mountains,  hills, 
vallies,  fountains,  rivers,  waters,  and  the  like ;  he 
who  knows  nothing  of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Word, 
must  of  necessity  be  led  to  suppose,  that  nothing  fur- 
ther is  meant  by  these  things  than  what  is  expressed 
in  the  letter :  for  he  little  thinks,  that  by  a  garden,  a 
grove,  and  a  wood,  are  meant  wisdom,  intelligence, 
and  science  ;  that  by  the  olive,  the  vine,  the  cedar, 
the  poplar,  and  the  oak,  are  meant  the  good  and 
truth  of  the  church,  under  the  different  characters  of 
celestial,  spiritual,  rational,  natural,  and  sensual  ; 
that  by  a  lamb,  a  sheep,  a  goat,  a  calf,  and  an  ox, 
are  meant  innocence,  charity,  and  natural  affection 
of  different  degrees;  that  by  mountains,  hills,  and 
vallies,  are  meant  the  higher,  the  lower,  and  the  low- 
est things  relating  to  the  church  ;  also  that  by  Egypt 
is  signified  what  is  scientific,  by  Assyria  what  is  ra- 
tional, by  Edom  what  is  natural,  by  Moab  the  adul- 
teration of  good,  by  the  children  of  Ammon  the  adul- 
teration of  truth,  by  the  Philistines  faith  without  cha- 
rity, by  Tyre  and  Sidon  the  knowledges  of  good  and 
truth,  and  by  Gog  external  worship  without  internal ; 
in  general,  that  by  Jacob  in  the  Word  is  understood 
the  church  natural,  by  Israel  the  church  spiritual,  and 
by  Judah  the  church  celestial.  When  the  mind  is 
opened  to  this  knowledge,  it  may  then  be  able  to  con- 
ceive, that  the  Word  treats  solely  of  heavenly  things, 
and  that  the  earthly  things  mentioned  in  it  are  only 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


133 


the  subjects,  wherein  those  heavenly  things  are  con- 
tained, or  whereby  they  are  set  forth. 

Such  is  the  nature  of  correspondences,  according  to 
which  the  Sacred  Scriptures  were  written,  and  by  the 
knowledge  of  which  they  can  alone  be  understood  as 
to  their  real  internal  meaning.  This  science  is  indeed 
but  little  known  in  the  present  day,  although  it  was  a 
subject  familiar  to  the  men  of  the  most  ancient  times, 
who  esteemed  it  the  science  of  sciences,  and  cultivated 
it  so  universally,  that  all  their  books  and  tracts  were 
written  by  correspondences.  The  book  of  Job,  which 
was  a  book  of  the  ancient  church,  is  full  of  corres- 
pondences. The  hieroglyphics  of  the  Egyptians,  and 
the  fabulous  stories  of  antiquity,  were  founded  on  the 
same  science,  after  it  had  begun  to  decline.  The 
poets  of  Greece,  in  whose  writings  traces  of  it  are 
still  to  be  found,  disfigured  it  with  their  mythological 
fictions,  and  thus  consigned  to  a  long  oblivion  a  sci- 
ence, which  they  did  not  rightly  understand. 

All  the  ancient  churches  were  churches  representa- 
tive of  spiritual  things  :  their  ceremonies,  and  even 
their  statutes,  which  were  rules  for  the  institution  of 
their  worship,  consisted  of  mere  correspondences.  In 
like  manner,  every  thing  in  the  Israelitish  church, 
their  burnt-offerings,  sacrifices,  meat-offerings,  and 
drink-offerings,  with  all  the  particulars  belonging  to 
each,  were  correspondences.  So  also  was  the  taber- 
nacle, with  all  things  contained  in  it;  likewise  their 
festivals,  as  the  feast  of  unleavened  bread,  the  feast 
of  tabernacles,  and  the  feast  of  first-fruits ;  also  the 
priesthood  of  Aaron  and  of  the  Levites,  and  the  gar- 
ments of  their  holiness.  Now  as  divine  things  fix 
their  existence  in  outward  nature  in  correspondences, 
therefore  the  Word  was  written  by  mere  correspon- 
dences ;  and  for  the  same  reason  the  Lord,  in  conse- 
quence of  speaking  from  the  Divinity,  spake  by  cor- 
M  2 


134 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


respondences.  For  whatever  proceeds  from  the  Divi- 
nity, when  it  comes  into  outward  nature,  manifests 
itself  in  such  outward  things  as  correspond  with  what 
is  divine;  which  outward  things  then  become  the  re- 
positories of  divine  things,  otherwise  called  celestial 
and  spiritual,  that  lie  contained  within  them  in  a  hid- 
den and  mysterious  manner. 

The  ancients,  who  were  versed  in  the  science  of 
correspondences,  made  themselves  images,  which  cor- 
responded with  things  heavenly;  and  were  greatly 
delighted  therewith,  on  account  of  their  signification, 
and  because  they  could  discern  in  them  what  related 
to  heaven  and  the  church.  They  therefore  placed 
those  images  both  in  their  temples  and  in  their  houses, 
not  with  any  intention  to  worship  them,  but  to  serve 
as  means  of  recollecting  the  heavenly  things  signified 
by  them.  Hence  in  Egypt,  and  in  other  places,  they 
made  images  of  calves,  oxen,  serpents,  and  also  of 
children,  old  men,  and  virgins ;  because  calves  and 
oxen  signified  the  affections  and  powers  of  the  natural 
man  ;  serpents,  the  prudence  and  likewise  cunning  of 
the  sensual  man  ;  children,  innocence  and  charity; 
old  men,  wisdom  ;  and  virgins,  the  affections  of  truth, 
&c.  Succeeding  ages,  when  the  science  of  corres- 
pondences was  obliterated,  began  to  adore  as  holy, 
and  at  length  to  worship  as  deities,  the  images  and 
pictures  set  up  by  their  forefathers,  because  they  found 
them  in  and  about  their  temples.  This  was  the  origin 
of  the  idolatries  of  the  gentiles  of  old  :  and  when  in 
process  of  time  these  idolatries  became  universal,  then 
the  Israelites  were  raised  up,  and  commanded  to  de- 
stroy all  the  pictures  and  images,  which  they  should 
find  in  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  and  also  to  pull  down  all 
the  high  places,  which  were  appropriated  to  idolatrous 
worship. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELICHOK. 


135 


The  science  of  correspondences  remained  with  ma- 
ny eastern  nations  until  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  as 
may  appear  from  the  circumstances  recorded  relative 
to  the  wise-men  of  the  east,  who  visited  the  Lord  at 
his  nativity.  A  star  (which  is  called  his  star)  went 
before  them,  and  conducted  them  to  the  house  where 
the  young  Child  was:  whereupon,  opening  their 
treasures,  they  presented  unto  him  gifts,  consisting  of 
gold,  frankincense,  and  myrrh,  Matt.  ii.  1,  2,  9,  10, 
11.  By  the  star,  which  went  before  them,  is  signi- 
fied knowledge  from  heaven ;  by  the  gifts  presented 
unto  the  young  Child,  is  signified  worship  directed  to 
him  as  God  Incarnate ;  by  gold  is  signified  celestial 
good  ;  by  silver,  spiritual  good  ;  and  by  myrrh,  na- 
tural good  ;  which  three  kinds  or  degrees  of  good  are 
the  three  constituents  of  all  true  worship. 

Still  however  the  science  of  correspondences  was 
unknown  to  the  Israelitish  and  Jewish  people,  al- 
though all  parts  of  their  worship,  and  all  the  statutes 
and  judgments  given  them  by  Moses,  and  all  things 
contained  in  the  Word,  were  correspondences.  The 
reason  was,  because  they  were  idolaters  at  heart,  and 
consequently  of  such  a  nature  and  disposition,  that 
they  were  not  willing  to  allow,  that  any  part  of  their 
worship  had  a  celestial  and  spiritual  signification. 
Wherefore,  had  this  been  revealed  to  them,  they 
would  not  only  have  rejected,  but  also  have  profaned 
it.  That  such  was  the  case  with  that  people,  appears 
evident  from  the  circumstance  of  their  rejecting  the 
Lord  himself,  because  he  instructed  them  concerning 
an  heavenly  kingdom,  and  not  an  earthly  one  :  for 
they  wanted  a  Messiah,  who  should  exalt  them  above 
all  nations  in  the  world,  and  not  a  Messiah,  who 
should  provide  only  for  their  eternal  salvation. 

The  reason  why  the  science  of  correspondences, 
which  is  the  true  key  to  the  spiritual  sense  of  the 


136 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


Word,  and  has  been  lost  for  many  ages,  is  revealed 
at  this  day,  is,  because  the  divine  truths  of  the  church 
are  now  coming  to  light,  and  of  these  the  spiritual 
sense  of  the  Word  consists.  The  same  is  signified  by 
John  seeing  heaven  open,  and  a  white  horse ;  and 
also  by  his  seeing  and  hearing  an  angel,  who  stood  in 
the  sun,  calling  all  people  together  to  the  supper  of 
the  great  God,  Apoc.  xix.  11  to  18.  But  that  it 
would  not  be  acknowledged  for  some  time,  is  signified 
by  the  beast  and  the  kings  of  the  earth  making  war 
against  him  that  sat  on  the  white  horse,  and  against 
his  army,  Apoc.  xix.  19 ;  and  also  by  the  dragon 
persecuting  the  woman,  which  brought  forth  the  man- 
child,  and  casting  out  of  his  mouth  water  as  a  flood 
after  her,  that  he  might  cause  her  to  be  carried  away 
of  the  flood,  Apoc.  xii.  13  to  17. 


XLV.    The  Last  Judgment,  the  Second  Jdvent  of 
the  Lord,  and  the  New  Jerusalem. 

IT  has  heretofore  been  very  generally  believed,  in 
respect  to  the  last  judgment,  that  the  Lord  would  then 
personally  appear  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power 
and  great  glory,  accompanied  by  an  innumerable  host 
of  angels  ;  that  he  would  raise  out  of  their  graves  all, 
who  had  ever  lived  since  the  creation  of  the  world  ; 
that  he  would  again  clothe  their  souls  with  their  for- 
mer bodies;  and,  when  collected  together  to  one 
place,  that  he  would  pass  judgment  upon  them,  sen- 
tencing the  good  to  eternal  life  or  heaven,  and  the 
wicked  to  eternal  death  or  hell.  It  has  also  been  sup- 
posed, that  the  visible  heavens  and  the  habitable  earth 
would  at  the  same  time  be  destroyed,  and  that  a  new 
heaven  and  a  new  earth  would  be  created  in  their 
stead.    Such  notions  as  these  have  arisen  in  the 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION". 


IS7 


church  from  the  literal  sense  of  the  Word  being  mis- 
understood, and  from  an  entire  ignorance  of  the  ex- 
istence of  a  spiritual  sense,  which  is  at  length  reveal- 
ed for  the  use  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  By  this  sense 
we  are  taught,  that  the  coming  of  the  Lord  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven  denotes,  not  his  personal  appearance 
in  the  air,  but  his  appearance  in  the  divine  truth  of 
the  Word,  which  is  himself.  The  clouds  of  heaven, 
in  which  he  will  come,  are  the  literal  sense  of  the 
Word,  which  in  a  great  degree  obscures  it's  spiritual 
sense,  just  as  a  cloud  obscures  the  direct  light  of  the 
sun  ;  the  power  and  glory  are  it's  spiritual  sense  ;  the 
angels  demote  heaven  ;  and  these  are  said  to  accom- 
pany the  Lord,  because  where  he  is,  there  is  heaven. 
Moreover  by  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth  is  un- 
derstood a  New  Church,  as  well  in  the  heavens,  as  on 
the  earth. 

It  is  believed  in  the  New  Church,  that  the  last 
judgment,  as  predicted  by  the  Lord  in  the  Gospels, 
has  already  actually  taken  place  in  the  spiritual 
world  :  and  this  belief  is  grounded,  not  merely  on  the 
assertions  of  a  most  illustrious  Author,  who  declares 
himself  to  have  been  an  eye-witness  of  it,  but  on  va- 
rious extraordinary  circumstances  connected  with  the 
present  state  of  society  in  the  natural  world,  and  on 
the  positive  appearance  of  a  new  dispensation  of  di- 
vine mercy  among  men  :  all  which  may  well  be  con- 
sidered as  the  test  and  proof  of  the  accomplishment  of 
the  last  judgment,  and  of  the  second  advent  of  the 
Lord. 

Not  to  dwell  on  the  great  ecclesiastical  and  politi- 
cal changes,  which  have  of  late  years  taken  place 
among  the  nations  of  Christendom,  let  us  only  advert 
to  that  new  state  of  spiritual  or  religious  liberty, 
which  has  sprung  up  in  the  midst  of  these  changes; 
and  we  shall  be  convinced  of  the  reality  of  the  facts 


138 


A  COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


here  announced.  But  exclusive  of  these  reasons  for 
believing,  that  the  judgment,  spoken  of  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, is  already  accomplished,  there  are  others  of 
considerable  weight,  amounting  to  little  less  than  a 
kind  of  demonstrative  proof.  When  mention  is  made 
of  the  last  judgment  in  the  Word  of  God,  it  is  gene- 
rally represented  as  an  event,  which  is  to  be  succeed- 
ed by  an  extraordinary  degree  of  illumination,  and 
knowledge  of  divine  things,  vouchsafed  to  the  human 
mind,  by  means  of  a  new  revelation.  Thus  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  is  compared  to  "  lightning 
"  shining  out  of  the  east,"  Matt.  xxiv.  27.  After 
the  judgment  of  the  great  whore,  John  says,  "  I  saw 
"heaven  opened,  nnd  behold,  a  white  horse:  and  he 
"  that  sat  upon  him  was  called  the  Word,  of  God," 
Apoc.  xix.  11,  13;  evidently  alluding  to  the  under- 
standing of  the  spiritual  sense  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, which  was  to  take  place  after  the  judgment. 
The  same  is  further  described  in  chap.  xxi.  by  the 
new  heaven  and  the  new  -earth,  and  the  holy  city 
New  Jerusalem  coming  down  from  God  out  of  hea- 
ven :  which  event,  as  it  is  now  taking  place,  is  a  full 
proof,  that  the  last  judgment,  according  to  the  Scrip- 
tures, has  been  already  performed,  the  one  coining  to 
pass  as  the  certain  consequence  of  the  other. 

By  the  Scriptures  we  are  informed,  that  several 
general  judgments  have  taken  place,  prior  to  that  of 
which  we  are  now  speaking,  and  which  is  stated  to 
have  been  accomplished  in  the  spiritual  world  in  the 
year  1757.  The  first  was  the  last  judgment  of  the 
Most  Ancient  Church,  when  all  charity  and  faith 
perished,  and  which  is  described  in  Genesis  by  the 
flood.  At  that  time,  according  to  the  language  of  the 
Sacred  Scriptures,  heaven  and  earth  passed  away,  in 
other  words,  the  internals  and  externals  of  the  church 
perished,  and  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth  were 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


J  39 


created,  that  is,  a  new  church,  which  succeeded  the 
former,  and  may  be  called  the  Ancient  Church.  The 
last  judgment  of  this  second  general  church,  which  in- 
cluded many  particular  churches,  was  when  it  came 
to  it's  consummation  by  the  many  idolatries,  to  which 
it  gave  birth.  Immediately  after  this  was  raised  up 
the  Representative  of  a  Church  among  the  posterity  of 
Jacob;  the  last  judgment  upon  which  and  upon  the 
remains  of  former  churches  took  place  at  the  time  of 
the  Lord's  first  coming  into  the  world.  The  prophet 
Isaiah  speaks  of  this  judgment,  to  be  accomplished  by 
the  Lord,  in  the  following  terms:  44  Who  is  this  that 
44  cometh  from  Edom,  with  dyed  garments  from 
44  Bozrah,  travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength  ? 
44  I  that,  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save.  I 
44  have  trodden  the  wine-press  alone  :  JT  will  tread 
44  them  in  mine  anger,  and  trample  them  in  my  fury  ; 
44  and  their  blood  shall  be  sprinkled  upon  my  gar- 
44  ments,  and  I  will  stain  all  my  raiment.  For  the 
g*  day  of  vengeance  is  in  my  heart,  and  the  year  of 
44  my  redeemed  is  come,"  Isa.  lxiii.  1,  3,  4.  Hence  it 
appears,  that  judgment  and  redemption  commence  at 
the  same  time. 

The  Lord  himself  also,  when  he  was  in  the  act  of 
fulfilling  the  ancient  prophecies,  and  executing  the 
judgment,  says,  44  Now  is  the  judgment  of  this 
44  world  ;  now  shall  the  prince  of  this  world  be  cast 
44  out,"  John  xii.  31.  Again,  44  For  judgment  I 
"  am  come  into  this  world,"  John  ix.  39.  In  ano- 
ther place, 44  Verily  verily  I  say  unto  you,  The  hour 
44  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead  shall  hear 
"  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God ;  and  they  that  hear 
44  shall  live.  For  as  the  Father  hath  life  in  himself, 
44  so  hath  he  given  to  the  Son  to  have  life  in  himself; 
44  ai'd  hath  given  him  authority  to  execute  judgment 
i4  also,  because  he  is  the  Son  of  Man,"  John  v.  2 J, 


140 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THfc 


26,  27.  And  again,  "  Be  of  good  cheer,  I  have  over- 
4<  come  the  world,"  John  xvi.  33. 

From  these  and  similar  passages  it  is  evident,  that 
a  day  of  judgment  is  not  spoken  of  in  the.  Scriptures, 
as  an  event  which  has  never  yet  in  any  former  period 
taken  place,  or  as  decisive  of  the  fate  of  every  indivi- 
dual of  the  human  race  :  for  we  find,  that  the  Lord, 
when  on  earth,  actually  accomplished  a  judgment,  not 
upon  the  whole  race  of  mankind,  but  only  upon  a  cer- 
tain number  of  those  who  were  deceased,  and  conse- 
quently in  the  spiritual  world. 

That  the  habitable  earth  was  not  to  be  destroyed  at 
the  time  of  the  last  judgment,  is  plain  from  the 
Lord's  words  in  Luke,  *'  I  tell  you,  in  that  night 
«  there  shall  be  two  men  in  one  bed  ;  the  one  shall 
"  be  taken,  and  the  other  shall  be  left.  Two  women 
"  shall  be  grinding  together ;  the  one  shall  be  taken 
"  and  the  other  left.  Two  men  shall  be  in  the  field  ; 
"  the  one  shall  be  taken,  and  the  other  left,"  Luke 
xvii.  34  to  36.  Here  the  last  time  of  the  church  is 
called  night,  because  there  is  no  genuine  faith  or  truth 
remaining,  in  consequence  of  there  being  no  true  spi- 
ritual charity:  but  that  the  world  would  not  then  be 
destroyed,  is  plainly  declared  by  the  circumstance  of 
some  being  left,  while  others  are  removed. 

These  considerations  sufficiently  prove,  that  the 
doctrine  of  the  New  Church,  respecting  the  last  judg- 
ment and  the  second  advent  of  the  Lord,  is  perfectly 
consistent  with  the  Word  of  God  ;  while  all  those 
systems,  which  suppose  the  destruction  of  the  universe 
as  the  necessary  consequence  of  that  event,  can  be 
considered  in  no  other  light,  than  as  so  many  idle 
dreams,  and  dreadful  chimeras,  calculated  to  frighten 
mankind,  and  to  inspire  them  with  no  one  useful  or 
rational  sentiment,  but  on  the  contrary  with  dismal 
expectation  and  useless  alarm. 


1RUK   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


141 


The  end  of  creation  is  the  formation  of  an  angelic 
heaven  out  of  the  human  race,  which;  as  an  image  of 
the  Creator,  may  bear  some  respect  to  his  infinity,  his 
immensity,  and  his  eternity.  But  this  respect  to  infi- 
nitv,  immensity,  and  eternity,  would  cease,  were  the 
habitable  earth  to  be  destroyed  at  the  day  of  the  last 
judgment :  for  then  by  a  period  being  put  to  the  pro- 
creations of  mankind,  the  extent  of  heaven,  together 
with  the  number  of  it's  inhabitants,  would  be  limited. 
Whereas  it  is  highly  reasonable  to  suppose,  that,  as 
the  human  mind,  which  is  a  heaven  in  it's  smallest 
form,  increases  in  perfection  according  to  the  plurality 
of  it's  knowledges,  so  the  angelic  heaven  will  likewise 
advance  in  perfection,  and  thus  more  and  more  resem- 
ble it's  Creator,  according  to  the  perpetually  increas- 
ing number  of  it's  inhabitants.  Hence  the  doctrines, 
which  ascribe  to  the  Divine  Being  an  end  worthy  of 
himself  in  the  creation  of  the  world,  by  making  provi- 
sion for  the  perpetual  generations  and  eternal  succes- 
sions of  mankind,  must  be  the  most  rational  in  them- 
selves, as  well  as  most  conformable  to  divine  revela- 
tion, when  properly  understood. 

Tt  is  most  clearly  predicted  in  the  Word,  especially 
in  the  Gospels  and  the  Apocalypse,  that  another 
judgment  was  to  take  place,  after  that  which  was  ac- 
complished by  the  Lord  while  on  earth  ;  and  that, 
such  judgment,  together  with  the  second  advent  of 
the  Lord,  was  to  form  the  first  step  to  the  introduc- 
tion of  a  new  dispensation.  In  the  24th  chapter  of 
Matthew  the  Lord  describes  the  successive  declension 
of  the  Christian  church,  until  it  should  arrive  at  it's 
full  period  or  consummation.  He  then  foretels,  that 
he  will  come  again  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  in  the 
character  of  Son  of  Man  ;  by  which  is  meant,  as  al- 
ready stated,  that  he  will  appear  as  divine  truth,  and 
make  his  Word  comprehens'i'ule  and  intelligible  to  the 

N 


142 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


human  mind.  But  in  the  Apocalypse  the  final  state 
of  the  church  is  more  particularly  described,  together 
with  the  judgment  which  it  has  brought  upon  itself, 
and  the  commencement  of  a  new  church  under  the 
name  and  character  of  the  New  Jerusalem.  This  New 
Church  is  described  in  chap.  xxi.  10  to  24,  as  a  great 
and  holy  city  coming  down  from  God  out  of  heaven  ; 
equal  in  it's  length,  breadth,  and  height;  having  a 
wall  of  jasper  great  and  high,  with  twelve  foundations 
set  with  all  manner  of  precious  stones  ;  twelve  gates 
of  pearl  under  the  charge  of  twelve  angels  ;  the  street 
of  the  city,  and  the  city  itself,  pure  gold,  yet  trans- 
parent like  clear  glass ;  with  no  other  temple  than  the 
Lord  God  Almighty  and  the  Lamb  himself ;  and  need- 
ing neither  sun  nor  moon  to  shine  in  it,  because  the 
glory  of  God  doth  lighten  it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light 
thereof. 

By  these  and  other  particulars  relative  to  the  city 
called  New  Jerusalem,  we  are  to  understand  the  doc- 
trine of  the  New  Church  now  establishing  by  the 
Lord  in  the  world.  The  city  itself  is  said  to  descend 
from  God  out  of  heaven,  to  denote  that  the  doctrine 
of  the  New  Church  is  wholly  derived  from  the  Lord 
and  his  Word  by  a  new  revelation  from  himself.  By 
the  length,  breadth,  and  height  of  it  being  equal,  is 
signified,  that  all  the  goods  and  truths  of  that  doc- 
trine are  inseparably  united.  By  the  wall  of  the  city 
are  meant  the  external  truths,  which  defend  and  se- 
cure it.  By  the  measure  of  the  wall,  which  is  an  hun- 
dred and  forty-four  cubits,  the  measure  of  a  man  and 
of  an  angel,  are  meant  all  those  truths  of  defence  and 
security  in  the  aggregate,  with  their  particular  natures 
and  qualities.  By  the  twelve  foundations  of  the  wall 
set  with  precious  s-tones,  are  meant  all  those  know- 
Ledges  whereupon  the  heavenly  doctrine  is  founded. 
By  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel,  and  also  by  the  twelve 


True  christian  religion-. 


143 


apostles  of  the  Lamb,  are  meant  all  things  in  general 
and  in  particular  relative  to  the  goods  and  truths  of 
the  church,  and  it's  doctrine.  By  the  twelve  gates 
of  pearls  are  meant  all  introductory  truths,  which  are 
likewise  signified  by  the  twelve  angels  at  the  gates. 
By  gold  like  onto  clear  glass,  of  which  the  city  and 
it's  street  consisted,  is  signified  the  good  of  love,  giv- 
ing clearness  and  translucency  to  the  doctrine  and 
it's  truths.  By  the  nations  who  are  saved,  and  the 
kings  of  the  earth  who  bring  their  glory  and  honour 
into  the  city,  are  meant  all  the  members  of  the  church, 
who  will  be  under  the  influence  of  goodness  and 
truth.  Bv  no  temple  being  seen  in  the  city  is  signi- 
fied, that  in  the  New  Church  there  will  be  no  external 
worship  separate  from  internal  :  because  the  Lord 
alone  will  be  approached,  acknowledged,  and  wor- 
shipped in  his  Divine  Humanity,  which  in  the  supreme 
sense  is  what  is  meant  by  the  temple.  By  there  be- 
ing no  need  of  the  sun,  nor  of  the  moon  to  shine  in  it, 
because  the  glory  of  God  doth  lighten  it,  and  the 
Lamb  is  the  light  thereof,  is  signified,  that  the  New 
Oh  arch  will  not  be  under  the  dominion  of  self-love 
and  self-derived  intelligence,  and  consequently  not 
under  the  influence  of  mere  natural  light ;  but  will  in 
all  things  be  guided  by  the  light  of  divine  truth  pro- 
ceeding from  the  Lord,  who  as  to  his  Essential  Divi- 
nity is  called  God,  and  as  to  his  Divine  Humanity  is 
called  the  Lamb. 

The  New  Church,  or  New  Jerusalem,  is  further 
represented  in  the  same  chapter,  under  a  more  inte- 
rior idea,  as  the  Bride  and  Wife  of  the  Lamb ;  being 
called  a  Bride  in  reference  to  her  state  of  prepara- 
tion to  receive  the  Lord,  and  a  Wife  in  reference  to 
her  actual  conjunction  with  him.  That  this  church 
will  be  established  on  earth,  and  that  it  will  in  due 
time  constitute  the  crown  and  glory  of  all  churches, 


144 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


which  have  heretofore  existed  since  the  creation  of 
the  world,  cannot  for  a  moment  be  doubted,  because 
the  Scriptures  of  divine  truth,  from  beginning  to  end, 
are  continually  pointing  to  it,  and  holding  it  up  as 
the  completion  of  all  prophecy.  It's  commencement 
is  announced  by  Daniel  in  these  words:  "In  the 
"  days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God  of  heaven  set  up 
"  a  kingdom,  which  shall  never  be  destroyed :  and 
"  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other  people,  but  it 
"shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  these  king- 
"  doms,  and  it  shall  stand  for  ever,"  Dan.  ii.  44. 
The  same  prophet  says  in  another  place,  "  I  saw  in 
"  the  night-visions,  and  behold,  One  like  the  Son  of 

Man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to 
"  the  Ancient  of  Days,  and  they  brought  him  near 
"  before  him.  And  there  was  given  him  dominion, 
"and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  na- 
"  tions,  and  languages,  should  serve  him:  his  domi- 
"  nion  is  an  everlasting  dominion,  which  shall  not 
"  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom  that  which  shall  not 
"be  destroyed,"  Dan.  vii.  13,  14.  That  this  pro- 
phecy of  Daniel  refers  to  the  present  time,  is  evident 
from  what  is  said  in  chap.  xii.  4,  9,  11;  and  from 
the  Lord's  words  in  Matt.  xxiv.  15,  30.  The  like  is 
said  in  the  Apocalypse  :  "  And  the  seventh  angel 
"  sounded,  and  there  were  great  voices  in  heaven, 
"  saying,  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become 
"  the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ,  and 
"  He  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever,"  Apoc.  xi.  15. 

The  progress,  perfection,  and  glory  of  the  same 
church  are  also  described  by  other  prophets  in  the 
manner  following,  "  For  Zion's  sake  I  will  not  hold 
"  my  peace,  and  for  Jerusalem's  sake  I  will  not  rest, 
§  until  the  righteousness  thereof  go  forth  as  bright- 
"  ness,  and  the  salvation  thereof  as  a  lai:>p  that  burn- 
"  eth.    And  the  Gentiles  shall  see.  thy  righteousness, 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


«  and  all  kings  thy  glory :  and  thou  shalt  be  I45 
»  by  a  neu-  name,  which  the  mouth  of  Jehovah  t 
«  name.    Thou  shalt  also  be  a  crown  of  glory  in  th 
"  hand  of  Jehovah,  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand 
"  of  thy  God,"  Isa.  lxii.  1  to  3.    «  Thus  saith  Jeho- 
"  vah,  I  am  returned  unto  Zion,  and  will  dwell  in 
"  the  midst  of  Jerusalem,  and  Jerusalem  shall  be 
"  called  a  city  of  truth;  and  the  mountain  of  Je- 
"  hovah  of  hosts,  the  holy  mountain,"  Zech.  viii.  3. 
Lastly,  "  I  heard  a  great  voice  out  of  heaven,  say- 
M  iog,  Behold,  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men, 
«  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be  his 
"  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and  be 
«  their  God,"  Apoc.  xxi.  3. 


XLVL    The  probable  state  of  the  World  and  Church 
hereafter. 

IT  may  be  thought,  that  after  so  great  a  change  as 
that  produced  in  the  spiritual  world  by  the  last  judg- 
ment, the  second  advent  of  the  Lord,  and  the  com- 
mencement of  the  New  Jerusalem,  some  extraordi- 
nary convulsion  of  nature,  or  some  different  order  of 
civil  society  among  mankind,  was  to  take  place,  and, 
by  an  overwhelming  evidence  in  favour  of  the  new 
dispensation,  leave  no  room  for  a  doubt  on  the  sub- 
ject. But,  on  mature  deliberation,  there  appears  to 
be  no  just  ground  for  such  an  expectation  :  and  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe,  that  the  external  face  of 
nature  will  continue  the  same  as  before;  and  likewise 
that  the  same  order  will  prevail  in  civil  concerns  as 
before  ;  that  there  will  be  empires,  kingdoms,  and 
states,  as  before  ;  that  there  will  be  treaties  of  peace 
and  alliance,  and  also  wars,  between  nation  and  na- 
tion, as  before  ;  and  other  thing*,  which  relate  to  the 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


general  and  particular  government  of  societies.  By 
the  Lord's  saying,  that  in  the  last  times  there  would 
be  wars,  and  then  nation  would  rise  up  against  na- 
tion, and  kingdom  against  kingdom,  and  that  there 
would  be  famines,  pestilences,  and  earthquakes  in 
divers  places,  Matt.  xxiv.  6,  7,  is  not  however  sig- 
nified, that  such  things  would  take  place  in  the  na- 
tural world,  but  events  corresponding  thereto  in  the 
spiritual  world  :  for  the  prophetical  parts  of  the  Word 
do  not  treat  of  the  kingdoms  and  nations  on  earth, 
nor  consequently  of  their  wars  ;  neither  do  they  treat 
of  famine,  pestilence,  and  earthquakes  in  this  world, 
but  of  such  things  as  correspond  thereto  in  the  spirit- 
ual world,  the  nature  of  which  may  be  seen  explained 
in  art.  XLIV.  on  the  Divine  Science  of  Correspond- 
ences. 

But  with  regard  to  the  state  of  the  church,  that  will 
not  be  exactly  the  same  as  heretofore  :  it  will  be  simi- 
lar indeed  as  to  external  appearance,  but  dissimilar  as 
to  internal.  In  respect  to  the  external  appearance, 
ihere  will  be  distinct  and  separate  churches  as  before, 
their  various  doctrines  will  be  taught  as  before,  and 
there  will  be  the  like  religious  worship  among  the 
Gentiles.  But  men  are  and  will  hereafter  be  in  a 
freer  state  of  thinking  about  matters  of  faith,  conse- 
quently about  the  spiritual  things  of  heaven,  inasmuch 
as  spiritual  liberty  is  now  restored  ;  as  must  be  evi- 
dent to  every  person,  who  will  take  the  trouble  of 
comparing  the  present  state  of  religious  society  with 
what  it  was  some  years  ago,  that  is,  previous  to  the 
accomplishment  of  the  last  judgment,  and  the  com- 
mencement of  the  New  Jerusalem.  Neither  is  it 
likely  that  any  body  of  men,  calling  themselves  minis- 
ters and  propagators  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ, 
would  at  this  day  sit  down,  and  deliberately  draw  up, 
and  afterwards  publish  to  the  world,  such  detestable 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


147 


doctrines  concerning  the  worship  of  the  Lord,  and 
concerning  predestination,  as  was  done  formerly  in  a 
book  entitled,  Formula  Concordia',  which  is  received 
as  the  standard  of  faith  and  orthodoxy  by  the  Calvin- 
ists,  who  form  a  great  proportion  of  the  Reformed  or 
Protestant  churches.  Or  were  such  an  attempt  to  be 
now  made,  it  is  highly  probable,  that  it  would  be  re- 
sented with  indignation  by  the  good  sense  of  mankind 
as  an  insult  and  outrage  upon  the  understanding  and 
best  feelings  of  the  human  heart.  Concerning  the 
worship  of  the  Lord,  it  is  therein  stated,  "  That  it  is 
«  a  damnable  idolatry,  if  the  trust  and  faith  of  the 
"  heart  be  placed  on  Christ,  not  only  according  to  his 

Divine,  but  also  according  to  his  Human  J\*ature, 
"  and  if  the  honour  of  adoration  be  directed  to  both.'" 
And  on  the  subject  of  predestination,  it  is  asserted, 
"  That  Christ  did  not  die  for  all  men,  but  only  for 
"  the  elect.  That  God  hath  created  the  greatest  part 
**  of  mankind  for  eternal  damnation,  and  is  unwil- 
"  ling  that  they  should  be  converted  and  live.  That 
«  the  elect  and  regenerate  cannot  lose  faith  and  the 
^  Holy  Spirit,  although  they  commit  every  kind  of 
"  the  most  enormous  sin  and  wickedness.  But  that 
»  they,  who  are  not  elect,  are  necessarily  damned, 
cl  and  cannot  possibly  attain  salvution,  even  though 
"  they  should  be  a  thousand  times  baptized,  and 
"  should  come  every  day  to  the  holy  supper,  and 
«  should  besides  lead  as  holy  and  unblamable  lives 
«  as  it  is  possible  to  rfo."  This  extract  is  taken  from 
p.  837,  838,  of  the  above-mentioned  Formula  Concor- 
dia;, published  at  Leipsick  in  the  year  1756. 

We  have  already  observed,  that  a  great  change 
has  taken  place  in  the  minds  of  Christians  since  the 
commencement  of  the  New  Church  in  the  year  1757; 
not  a  change  as  to  creeds  and  written  doctrines,  but  a 
change  in  the  state  of  spiritual  liberty,  by  virtue  of 


148 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


which  men  are  now  more  capable  than  heretofore  ol 
discerning  the  truth  when  presented  to  them,  and  of 
receiving  it  in  heart  and  life.  For  such  is  the  order 
induced  by  the  Lord  in  the  whole  spiritual  world  by 
the  judgment  lately  accomplished  there,  that  a  most 
exact  equilibrium  between  good  and  evil,  or  between 
heaven  and  hell,  is  established ;  and  man  being 
placed,  as  to  his  spirit,  in  this  equilibrium,  he  can 
therefore  freely  turn  either  to  the  one,  or  to  the  other  : 
whereas  before  the  judgment  the  equilibrium  was  de- 
stroyed by  the  ascendency  and  continual  increase  of 
the  power  of  evil.  If  the  change  here  spoken  of  can- 
not readily  be  perceived  under  the  idea  of  spiritual 
liberty,  by  reason  of  it's  very  interior  operation,  it 
certainly  may  under  that  of  liberality,  one  of  it's  first 
visible  and  manifest  effects,  which  gives  to  the  pre- 
sent age  a  character  unknown  to  any  of  the  former 
periods  of  Christianity,  and  prepares  the  human  mind 
for  the  reception  of  those  divine  truths  now  revealed, 
of  which  the  internal  sense  of  the  Holy  Word  con- 
sists. 

To  know  what  will  be  the  state  of  the  church  here- 
after as  to  particulars,  is  indeed  beyond  the  wis- 
dom even  of  angels  in  heaven  :  for  they  know  not  fu- 
ture events,  unless  revealed  to  them,  these  being 
known  only  to  the  Lord.  But  this  is  capable  of  being 
ascertained,  because  it  is  already  a  fact,  that  that  ser- 
vitude and  captivity,  in  which  the  human  mind  has 
heretofore  been  involved,  is  removed  ;  and  that  now, 
by  virtue  of  the  spiritual  freedom  which  is  restored, 
man  is  enabled  to  perceive  iuterior  truths  more  clearly 
and  distinctly  than  before,  if  desirous  thereof,  and  thus 
to  become  more  and  more  internal,  if  lie  is  so  disposed. 
Slender  however  as  may  be  the  hope  of  seeing  the 
New  .lerusalem  established  among  the  present  race  of 
professing  Christians,  we  have  an  assurance  given  us 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


149 


id  the  book  of  Revelation,  that  it  will  come  to  it's  ap- 
pointed state  of  fulness  and  maturity  in  some  region 
or  regions  of  the  earth.  But  whether  this  shall  be  in 
Europe,  or  among  some  of  the  Gentile  nations,  (as 
there  is  reason  to  believe,)  the  benefits  to  mankind  at 
large  will  be  the  same,  because  in  either  case  it  will 
be  the  direct  medium  of  communication  between  hea- 
ven and  the  world.  Yet,  like  light  and  heat  propa- 
gated from  a  centre  in  all  directions,  the  rays  of  di- 
vine light  and  life  will  be  transmitted  from  such  fa- 
voured nation  to  men  of  every  religious  denomination, 
and  be  received  by  each  according  to  the  state  and 
quality  of  his  life.  Or  again,  as  the  vital  fluid  in  the 
human  bodv,  which,  issuing  from  the  heart,  visits  the 
remotest  parts  of  the  frame,  every  where  diffusing,  as 
it  passes,  animation,  health, *md  vigour,  so  a  certain 
spiritual  influence  from  the  divine  truths  of  the  Holy 
Word,  first  received  and  cherished  in  their  purity  by 
the  New  and  True  Christian  Church,  will  thence 
spread  and  circulate  through  all  the  members  of  the 
Church  Universal,  wherever  situated,  and  however 
distant  they  may  be  from  each  other,  or  from  their 
common  centre. 


XLVII.    Ecclesiastic  and  Civil  Government. 

AS  order  cannot  be  preserved  in  the  world  either 
in  things  relating  to  the  Church,  or  in  things  relating 
to  the  State,  without  rulers  and  magistrates,  it  is 
therefore  necessary  that  some  persons  should  be  ap- 
pointed, as  governors,  to  superintend  and  regulate 
the  affairs  of  human  society;  and  that  they  should  be 
such,  as  are  skilled  in  the  knowledge  of  the  lav  s,  full 
of  wisdom  and  the  (ear  of  God.  It  is  also  necessary, 
that  order  should  be  maintained  amongst  the  governors 


15Q 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


themselves,  lest  any  one,  through  lust  or  inadvertence, 
should  allow  offences  against  order:  and  this  may  be 
best  effected  by  an  appointment  of  superior  and  infe- 
rior governors,  who  shall  be  subject  to  the  laws  of 
subordination. 

Governors  in  matters  ecclesiastic,  or  such  as  relate 
to  men's  concerns  with  heaven,  are  called  Priests, 
Ministers,  or  Preachers  ;  and  their  office  is  called  the 
Priesthood  or  Ministry.  But  governors  in  civil  mat- 
ters, or  such  as  relate  to  men's  concerns  with  the 
world,  are  called  Magistrates  ;  and  their  chief,  where 
such  a  form  of  government  prevails,  is  called  a  li'ing, 
or  an  Emperor. 

With  respect  to  the  office  of  priests,  they  are  to 
teach  men  the  way  to  heaven,  and  likewise  to  lead 
them  therein  :  they  are  to  teach  them  according  to  the 
doctrine  of  their  church  from  the  Word,  and  to  lead 
them  to  live  according  to  such  doctrine.  Such  priests 
as  inculcate  truths,  and  thereby  lead  their  flocks  to 
the  good  of  life,  and  so  to  the  Lord,  are  the  good 
shepherds :  but  such  priests,  as  only  teach,  but  do  not 
lead  to  the  good  of  life,  and  so  to  the  Lord,  are  the 
evil  shepherds. 

Priests  ought  not  to  claim  to  themselves  any  power 
over  the  souls  of  men,  because  they  know  not  the  state 
of  man's  interiors  :  much  less  ought  they  to  claim  the 
power  of  opening  and  shutting  heaven,  as  that  power 
belongs  to  the  Lord  alone. 

Dignity  and  honour  are  due  to  priests,  on  account 
of  the  sanctity  of  their  office  :  but  a  wise  priest  as- 
cribes all  such  honour  to  the  Lord,  from  whom  all 
sanctity  proceeds,  and  not  to  himself:  whereas  an  un- 
wise priest  applies  it  to  himself,  and  thus  takes  it  away 
from  the  Lord.  They  who  ascribe  honour  to  them- 
selves, on  account  of  the  sanctity  of  their  office,  prefer 
honour  and  wealth  to  the  salvation  of  souls ;  but  they 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


151 


who  give  honour  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  themselves, 
prefer  the  salvation  of  souls  to  honour  and  wealth. 
The  honour  of  any  employment  is  not  in  the  person  of 
him,  who  officiates  therein  ;  but  is  only  adjoined  to  him 
on  account  of  the  dignity  of  the  office,  in  which  he  is 
employed  :  and  what  is  thus  adjoined,  does  not  pro- 
perly belong  to  the  person,  but  to  the  employment  it- 
self, being  separated  from  the  person,  as  soon  as  he  is 
separated  from  his  office.  All  personal  honour  is  the 
honour  of  wisdom,  and  of  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

Priests  ought  to  instruct  the  people,  and  to  lead 
them  by  truths  to  the  good  of  life :  but  they  must  not 
on  any  account  attempt  compulsion  in  matters  of  faith, 
because  no  one  can  be  compelled  to  believe  contrary 
to  what  he  thinks  in  his  heart  to  be  true.  Every  per- 
son ought  to  be  allowed  the  peaceable  enjoyment  of 
his  religious  opinions,  howsoever  they  may  differ  from 
those  of  the  priest,  on  this  condition,  that  he  maintains 
them  quietly  and  peaceably.  But  if  he  makes  a  dis- 
turbance, he  ought  then  to  be  separated  from  the  com- 
munity :  for  this  is  according  to  the  laws  of  order,  on 
which  the  priesthood  is  established. 

As  priests  are  appointed  for  the  administration  of 
those  things,  which  relate  to  the  divine  law  and  wor- 
ship ;  so  kings  and  magistrates  are  appointed  for  the 
administration  of  those  things,  which  relate  to  civil 
law  and  judgment.  But  since  the  king  cannot  extend 
his  single  administration  to  all  persons  and  cases, 
therefore  governors  and  magistrates  are  appointed  un- 
der him,  who  are  each  invested  with  the  power  of  ad- 
ministration, where  that  of  the  king  cannot  reach. 
These  governors  or  magistrates,  collectively  taken, 
constitute  the  royalty  ;  but  the  king  himself  is  the  chief 
or  head. 

Royalty  itself  is  not  in  the  person  of  the  king,  but 
is  only  adjoined  to  the  person.    Tae  king,  who  ima- 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


gines  that  royalty  is  in  his  own  person,  and  the  ma- 
gistrate, who  imagines  that  the  dignity  of  magistracy 
is  in  his  own  person,  are  alike  unwise. 

Royalty  consists  in  governing  according  to  the  laws 
of  the  realm,  and  in  executing  judgment  according  to 
them  from  a  principle  of  justice.  The  king,  who  re- 
gards the  laws  as  above  himself,  is  wise  ;  but  he,  who 
regards  himself  as  above  the  laws,  is  unwise.  The 
former  places  royalty  in  the  law,  and  suffers  the  law 
to  rule  over  him,  knowing  that  the  law  is  justice,  and 
that  all  justice,  as  such,  is  divine  :  but  the  latter  places 
royalty  in  himself,  and  believes  either  that  his  own 
will  is  the  law,  or  that  the  law,  which  is  justice,  is 
derived  from  himself ;  and  hence  he  arrogates  to  him- 
self what  is  divine,  when  yet  he  ought  to  be  in  subjec- 
tion to  it. 

The  law,  which  is  justice,  ought  to  be  enacted  by 
persons  skilled  therein,  who  are  at  the  same  time  full 
of  wisdom  and  the  fear  of  God  :  and  the  king  and  his 
subjects  ought  afterwards  to  live  in  obedience  to  it. 
The  king,  who  lives  according  to  such  law,  and  sets 
an  example  to  his  subjects  in  this  respect,  is  truly  a 
king.  But  an  absolute  monarch,  who  fancies  that  his 
subjects  are  mere  slaves,  and  that  he  has  a  right  to 
their  property  and  lives,  if  he  exercises  such  power, 
is  not  a  King,  but  a  Tyrant. 

The  king  ought  to  be  obeyed  according  to  the  laws 
of  the  realm,  and  not  in  any  wise  to  be  injured  either 
by  deeds  or  by  words  ;  for  hereon  depends  the  public 
security. 


Such  are  the  general  principles  adopted  by  the  New 
Church,  in  relation  to  ecclesiastic  and  civil  govern- 
ment :  from  which  it  may  be  seen,  that  the  order  and 
well-being  of  society  are  the  great  objects,  which  it 
has  in  view  to  promote,  whatever  may  be  the  esta- 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


153 


biished  forms  of  government  in  different  nations  or  bo- 
dies of  men.  It's  other  doctrines  also  being  of  uni- 
versal application,  and  breathing  nothing  but  a  spirit 
of  love  and  true  christian  philanthropy,  may  be  re- 
ceived and  embraced  by  all,  who  are  desirous  of  en- 
tering into  that  new  spiritual  life,  which  can  alone 
qualify  the  mind  for  the  enjoyment  of  peace  here,  and 
eternal  felicity  hereafter. 


XLVIII.    Plurality  of  Worlds. 

ON  the  infinity  of  the  Divine  Being  is  justly  found- 
ed the  doctrine  of  a  plurality  of  worlds  :  and  even 
were  there  no  planetary  bodies  within  the  reach  of 
human  sight,  it  would  still  be  a  reasonable  conclusion, 
that  other  earths  besides  our  own  are  in  actual  exist- 
ence, however  remotely  situated  in  the  immensity  of 
space.  For  it  is  not  to  be  supposed,  that,  by  the  cre- 
ation of  only  one  habitable  globe,  the  great  designs  of 
Infinite  Love  and  Wisdom  could  be  fully  accomplish- 
ed, which  appear  to  have  in  view  the  happiness  of 
indefinite  numbers  of  intelligent  beings  from  many 
earths,  all  varying  in  their  general  and  particular 
states  of  reception  of  that  life,  which  in  itself  is,  and 
ever  must  remain,  inexhaustible.  But  being  sur- 
rounded on  all  sides  with  myriads  of  heavenly  bodies, 
similar  in  all  appearance  to  the  sun  of  our  system; 
being  convinced  also  by  ocular  testimony  of  the  exist- 
ence of  huge  masses  of  matter,  revolving  in  different 
circuit-  about  tl  e  sun,  some  inferior,  and  some  supe- 
rior in  bulk  to  our  earth  ;  and  justly  presuming  that 
similar  b'tdies,  though  too  distant  to  be  seen  by  reflect- 
ed light,  must  have  their  appointed  stations  under 
Other  suns;  no  reasonable  person  can  entertain  a 
doubt,  but  that,  like  the  planet  which  we  inhabit, 
o 


(54 


A   COMPENDIUM   OF  THE 


these  also  are  the  abodes  of  animated  beings  of  va* 
rious  orders  and  descriptions,  and  among  the  rest,  of 
man,  for  whose  sake  and  use  the  whole  has  been  pro- 
vided. 

He  who  believes,  as  every  one  ought  to  believe, 
that  the  Divine  Being  created  the  universe  for  no 
other  end,  than  that  mankind,  and  thereby  heaven, 
might  have  existence,  (for  mankind  is  the  seminary  of 
heaven,)  must  needs  believe  also,  that  wheresoever 
there  is  any  earth,  there  likewise  are  human  inhabi- 
tants. That  the  planets,  which  are  visible  to  our  eyes, 
as  being  within  the  boundaries  of  this  solar  system, 
are  earths,  may  appear  manifest  from  this  consider- 
ation, that  they  are  bodies  of  earthy  matter,  because 
they  reflect  the  light  of  the  sun,  and  when  seen 
through  a  telescope,  they  appear  not  as  stars  glittering 
by  reason  of  their  flame,  but  as  earths  variegated  by 
reason  of  their  opake  spots.  The  same  may  further 
appear  from  this  consideration,  that  they,  in  like  man- 
ner as  our  earth,  are  conveyed  by  a  progressive  mo- 
tion round  the  sun,  in  the  way  of  the  zodiac,  whence 
they  have  their  years,  and  seasons  of  the  year,  as 
spring,  summer,  autumn,  and  winter;  and  in  like 
manner  revolve  about  their  own  axis,  whence  they 
have  their  days,  and  times  of  the  day,  as  morning, 
mid-day,  evening,  and  night.  Moreover  some  of  them 
have  moons,  which  are  called  satellites,  and  which 
perform  their  revolutions  round  their  central  globes, 
as  the  moon  does  round  our  earth.  How  is  it  possible 
for  any  reasonable  person,  acquainted  with  these  cir- 
cumstances, to  assert  or  to  conceive,  that  such  bodies 
are  void  or  destitute  of  inhabitants  ? 

That,  besides  the  planets  in  our  solar  system,  there 
are  also  innumerable  others  in  the  universe,  may  be 
rationally  inferred  from  this  consideration,  that  every 
fixed  star  in  the  firmament  is  found  to  shine,  not  with 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


155 


a  borrowed,  but  with  a  native  lustre  :  winch  circum- 
stance, in  conjunction  with  their  immense  distances, 
is  a  convincing  proof,  that  they  must  be  suns  in  their 
respective  worlds  or  systems,  similar  in  use  to  our  sun 
in  it's  system  :  and  if  so,  it  will  thence  follow,  that 
there  are  planetary  bodies  revolving  round  each,  and 
as  many  distinct  worlds  or  systems  as  there  are  fixed 
•-tars  or  suns. 

So  immense  a  whole  must  have  been  created,  and 
be  still  supported,  for  some  great  and  worthy  end  : 
and  this  surely  can  be  nothing  less  than  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  as  before  observed,  wherein  beings  gifted 
with  intelligence  and  love  from  their  adorable  Creator 
may  be  happy  to  eternity.  For  the  visible  universe, 
or  the  heaven  resplendent  with  stars  innumerable, 
which  are  so  many  suns,  is  only  a  medium  for  the  ex- 
istence of  earths  ;  and  these  again  are  only  mediums 
for  the  existt  nee  of  men  upon  them,  of  whom  may  be 
formed  an  angelic  heaven  in  a  purer  sphere  than  that 
of  nature.  From  which  considerations  every  rational 
mind  may  safely  conclude,  that  means  so  immense, 
adapted  to  produce  so  great  an  end,  were  not  consti 
tnted  for  the  inS»')itants  of  one  earth,  one  solitary 
planet  only,  or  for  an  angelic  heaven  to  be  derived 
merely  from  them  ;  but  that  the  Divine  Being,  who  is 
infinite,  and  to  whom  thousands,  yea  millions  of  earths, 
all  full  of  inhabitants,  are  comparatively  as  nothing, 
must  hold  in  contemplation  an  end  at  once  worthy  of 
himself,  and  in  some  degree  resembling  the  infinity  of 
his  nature. 

The  endless  variety  of  uses  arising  from,  and  per- 
formed by,  the  many  viscera,  organs,  vessels,  fibres, 
&x.  &c.  in  the  human  body,  every  one  of  which  is 
indispensable  to  the  well-being  of  the  whole,  and  all 
of  which  blended  in  happy  union  give  the  intended  re- 
sult of  health  and  vigour,  opens  in  some  faint  degree 


156 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


to  a  reflecting  mind,  how  the  immense  variety  of 
worlds,  and  the  innumerable  multitudes  of  human  be- 
ings issuing  from  them,  may  in  like  manner  all  be  ne- 
ce:  ary  to  complete  the  harmony,  the  union,  the  per- 
fection, and  the  happiness  of  heaven,  and  thus  to  form 
the  most  indissoluble  conjunction  of  the  creature  with 
his  Almighty  Creator. 

The  doctrine  of  a  plurality  of  habitable  planets,  not 
only  in  our  solar  system,  but  also  in  numberless  other 
systems  in  the  universe,  may  therefore  be  regarded  as 
a  just  deduction  of  reason  from  the  wisdom  and  de- 
sign manifested  in  our  own  world,  and  from  analogies 
of  the  highest  order.  But  is  the  doctrine  susceptible 
of  more  positive  evidence  ?  Can  any  human  testimony 
be  supposed  capable  of  verifying  and  confirming,  as  a 
fact,  what  appears  so  probable  in  itself,  and  so  wor- 
thy of  being  true  ?  And  if  so  verified  and  confirmed, 
can  it  be  demonstrated  by  an  appeal  to  any  of  the 
acknowledged  principles  or  laws  either  of  mind  or  of 
body,  that  it  is  a  possible  case  for  an  inhabitant  of 
this  earth  to  see  and  converse  with  the  spirits  of  de- 
ceased men  from  other  earths,  and  occasionally  even 
to  see  the  very  inhabitants  themselves  upon  those 
earths,  while  at  the  same  time  the  body  of  the  man  so 
visiting  those  distant  earths  still  remains  in  it's  own 
proper  place  ?  To  each  of  these  questions  an  affirm- 
ative answer  may  be  given  :  and  most  extraordinary 
as  this  part  of  our  doctrine  may  at  first  sight  appear, 
we  doubt  not  but  the  intelligent  reader  will,  on  pay- 
ing due  attention  to  the  difference  between  state  of 
mind,  and  place  of  body,  see  good  reason  to  concur 
with  us  in  the  sentiment  here  advanced. 

Baron  Swe.denborg  professes  to  have  held  open  in- 
tercourse with  angels  and  spirits  for  many  successive 
years  of  his  life;  and  there  appears  no  just  reason  to 
dispute  his  solemn  and  repeated  avowals  of  the  fact. 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


lor 


By  virtue  of  this  intercourse  he  discovered,  that  the 
spaces,  distances,  and  consequent  progressions,  which 
exist  in  the  natural  world,  are,  in  their  origin  and 
first  cause,  changes  of  the  state  of  interior  things  in 
the  spiritual  world  ;  and  that  with  angels  and  spirits 
all  progressions  appear  according  to  such  changes. 
Hence  he  further  found,  that  angels  and  spirits  may, 
by  such  changes,  be  apparently  translated  from  one 
place  to  another,  and  even  from  one  earth  to  another, 
whatever  may  be  their  relative  distances  in  natural 
space;  and  when  so  translated,  enter  into  conversa- 
tion with  the  spirits  and  inhabitants  belonging  to  the 
earth  which  they  visit.  He  also  justly  observes,  that 
the  case  is  the  same  with  man  as  to  his  spirit ;  and 
that  therefore  he  also  may  be  so  translated,  at  the 
good-pleasure  of  the  Lord,  whilst  his  body  still  conti- 
nues in  the  same  place.  And  although  this  may  ap- 
pear to  the  sensual  man,  who  believes  in  no  other 
world  than  a  world  of  matter,  and  in  no  other  progres- 
sions than  such  as  are  measured  by  space,  to  be  totally 
impracticable;  yet  the  spiritual  or  truly  rational  man, 
who  can  discriminate  between  the  laws  of  matter  and 
tlic  laws  of  mind,  will  be  under  no  such  difficulty  as 
the  sensual  man  is,  but  will  readily  admit  both  it'6 
possibility  and  it's  probability. 

Distances  in  another  life  are  not  like  distances  here 
on  earth,  but  are  altogether  according  to  tiie  states  of 
the  interiors  of  every  particular  person.  They  who 
are  in  a  similar  state,  are  together  in  one  society, 
ami  in  one  place  ;  for  every  tiling  is  present  by  virtue 
of  similitude  of  state,  and  every  thing  is  distant  by 
virtue  of  dissimilitude  of  stale.  Hence,  to  be  present 
with  any  spirit  or  angel,  whether  he  be  from  this 
earth,  or  from  any  other  earth  in  the  universe,  it  is 
only  requisite  to  be  in  a  similar  state  witli  him  as  to 
the  interiors  of  the  mind,  that  is,  as  to  the  interior 
o  2 


(58 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


affections  and  thoughts.  And  in  this  way  it  is  as 
possible  for  the  spirit  of  a  man  still  living  iu  the  body, 
whose  interiors  are  open  to  heaven,  to  be  led  by  the 
Lord  into  a  similitude  of  state  with  the  spirits  and 
angels  from  distant  earths,  and  even  with  the  inhabi- 
tants themselves,  as  with  the  spirits,  angels,  and  inha- 
bitants of  this  earth.  The  various  changes  of  state, 
which  necessarily  take  place  in  bringing  the  spirit  of 
a  man  belonging  to  one  earth,  into  a  similitude  of  state 
with  the  spirit  of  a  man  belonging  to  another  earth, 
put  on,  in  the  spiritual  world,  the  appearance  of jour- 
neyings  and  progressions,  in  all  respects  resembling 
such  as  take  place  on  earth,  but  in  their  intrinsic  cha- 
racter most  essentially  different. 

In  regard  to  the  possibility  of  a  spirit,  or  what  is 
the  same  thing,  of  a  man  as  to  his  spirit,  seeing  even 
material  objects  on  any  other  earth,  besides  that  to 
which  he  belongs,  this  also  is  capable  of  rational  ex- 
planation. Neither  spirits  nor  angels,  by  their  own 
proper  sight,  can  see  any  thing  that  is  in  the  natural 
world,  any  more  than  man,  by  his  natural  sight,  can 
see  any  thing  that  is  in  the  spiritual  world  ;  the  light 
of  each  world  being  as  gross  darkness  to  the  other. 
Yet,  when  it  pleases  the  Lord  to  open  the  interior 
faculties  of  a  man,  so  as  to  enable  him  to  see  and  con- 
verse with  spirits  and  angels,  which  however  is  a  rare 
case  in  the  present  day,  then  both  the  spirits  and  an- 
gels, who  are  present  with  such  a  man,  can  see 
through  his  eyes  the  natural  objects  of  this  world,  and 
hear  through  his  ears  the  conversation  that  passes 
among  men.  So  again,  the  man,  who  is  so  privileged 
as  to  be  the  medium  of  communication  between  the 
spiritual  and  the  natural  world,  as  just  described, 
may,  by  being  brought  into  a  similar  state  of  life  as 
to  his  spirit  with  an  inhabitant  of  some  distant  earth, 
in  like  manner  see  through  the  eyes  of  such  inhabi- 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


159 


taut,  if  his  interiors  are  open,  the  natural  objects  of  his 
world,  and  hear  through  his  ears  the  natural  sounds 
there  produced. 

From  these  and  similar  considerations  it  may  plain- 
ly appear,  that  man  was  originally  so  created,  that, 
during  his  life  in  the  world  amongst  men,  he  might 
at  the  same  time  live  in  heaven  amongst  angels ;  and 
on  the  other  hand,  that,  while  in  heaven,  he  might 
also  have  intercourse  with  the  world  :  so  that  heaven 
and  the  world  might  be  united  in  man,  and  men 
might  know  what  passes  in  heaven,  and  angels  know 
what  passes  in  the  world  ;  and  that,  when  men  depart 
this  life,  they  might  pass  thus  from  the  Lord's  king- 
dom on  the  earths  into  the  Lord's  kingdom  in  the 
heavens,  not  as  into  another,  but  as  into  the  same,  in 
which  also  they  were  during  their  life  in  the  body. 
But  man,  by  becoming  so  sensual  and  corporeal  as  he 
now  is  in  his  various  affections  and  thoughts,  has  clos- 
ed heaven  against  himself,  and  totally  changed  the 
order  of  his  life. 

That  it  is  possible  for  man  to  see  and  converse  with 
spirits  and  angels,  is  very  evident  from  the  whole 
testimony  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  particularly  from 
the  cases  of  Abraham  and  Sarah,  Lot,  the  inhabitants 
of  Sodom,  Joshua,  Gideon,  Manoah  and  his  wife, 
Zacharias  and  Elizabeth,  Mary,  John,  and  many 
others,  who  all  saw  and  conversed  with  angels  as 
with  men.  The  Lord  himself  also  appeared  in  like 
manner  after  his  resurrection  ;  and  they  who  saw 
him,  knew  no  other  than  that  he  was  a  man  of  the 
earth,  until  he  revealed  himself,  as  he  did  to  the  two 
disciples  going  to  Emmaus,  who  at  first  took  him  for 
a  fellow-traveller,  and  to  Mary  Magdalene,  who 
supposed  him  to  be  the  gardener  of  the  place  where 
the  sepulchre  was  situated.  But  at  this  day  such  ap- 
pearances are  rarely  exhibited ;  the  reason  of  which 


160 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


is,  partly  because  man  has  plunged  himself  into  a  state 
of  gross  infidelity,  which  in  a  great  measure  disqua- 
lifies him  for  the  sight;  and  partly  because  visions, 
miracles,  and  supernatural  evidences,  would  have  a 
tendency  to  force  upon  the  human  mind  an  external 
and  transient  acquiescence  in  the  things  seen  or 
heard,  rather  than  a  salutary  and  permanent  faith  in 
the  great  realities  of  heaven  and  eternal  life.  This 
latter  kind  of  faith  can  only  be  implanted  by  the  Holy 
Word,  while  man  is  in  the  full  use  of  his  liberty  and 
rationality.  On  which  account  our  Lord  says  of  such 
as  duly  exercise  these  faculties,  "  Blessed  are  they 
"  that  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed,"  John 
xx.  29 :  whereas  of  all  those  who  call  out  for  signs 
and  wonders,  he  says  in  another  place,  "  If  they  hear 
"  not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  neither  will  they  be 
"persuaded,  though  one  rose  from  the  dead,"  Luke 
xvi.  31. 


XLIX.     The  Reasons  why  the  Lord  was  pleased 
to  be  born  on  our  Earth,  rather  than  on  any  other. 

AMONG  the  various  reasons  why  the  Lord  was 
pleased  to  assume  a  Natural  Humanity  on  our  earth, 
and  not  an  another,  the  principal  was  for  the  sake  of 
the  Word,  that  this  might  be  written  in  the  letter, 
and  when  written  be  published  through  the  whole 
world,  and  once  published  be  preserved  to  all  poste- 
rity ;  and  that  thus  it  might  be  made  manifest,  even 
to  all  in  another  life,  that  God  himself  became  Man. 
The  Word,  which  is  divine  truth,  teaches  that  there 
is  a  God.  that  there  is  a  heaven  and  a  hell,  and  that 
there  is  a  life  after  death  :  it  moreover  instructs  man 
how  he  ought  to  live  and  to  believe,  that  he  may 
come  into  heaven,  and  thereby  be  happy  to  eternity. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


161 


All  these  things  without  a  revelation,  and  in  the  pre- 
sent state  of  mankind  without  the  Word,  would  have 
been  altogether  unknown ;  and  yet  man  is  so  created, 
that  as  to  his  spirit  or  soul  he  can  never  die. 

It  is  well  known,  that  the  art  of  writing  has  pre- 
vailed here  from  the  most  ancient  time,  first  on  the 
rind  or  bark  of  trees,  next  on  skins  or  parchment, 
afterwards  on  paper,  and  lastly  that  the  art  of  print- 
ing with  types  has  succeeded.  This  was  provided  of 
the  Lord  for  the  sake  of  the  Word,  that  it  might  be 
published,  multiplied,  and  preserved  through  all  ages. 
It's  publication  through  the  whole  earth  is  facilitated 
by  means  of  the  general  commerce  or  communication, 
which  subsists  among  all  nations,  both  by  land  and 
water  :  so  that  the  Word,  once  written  and  printed, 
may  be  transferred  from  one  country  to  another,  and 
be  every  where  taught.  Such  communication  was  also 
provided  of  the  Lord  for  the  sake  of  the  Word,  and 
the  incalculable  blessings  resulting  from  a  knowledge 
of  it's  divine  contents. 

The  first  and  most  essential  thing,  on  account  of 
which  the  Word  was  given,  is,  as  before  observed, 
that  it  might  be  made  known  to  all,  that  God  hath 
been  made  a  Man  :  for  no  one  can  believe  in  a  God, 
and  love  a  God,  without  contemplating  him  under 
some  appearance  or  form.  Hence  it  is,  that  they 
who  acknowledge  him  in  no  form,  but  regard  him  as 
a  something  incomprehensible,  diffused  through  infi- 
nite space,  sink  in  their  thought  into  nature,  and 
thereby  believe  in  no  God,  however  they  may  pro- 
fess the  contrary  with  their  lips.  Such  being  the 
danger,  to  which  man  is  exposed,  who  thinks  of  a 
Divine  Being  without  light  from  heaven,  it  therefore 
pleased  the  Lord  to  be  born  here,  and  to  make  this 
manifest  by  the  Word,  that  it  might  not  only  be  made 
known  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  globe,  but  to  all  in 


163 


A  COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


the  universe,  who  come  into  heaven  from  any  other 
earth  whatsoever. 

It  is  to  be  observed,  that  the  Word  on  our  earth, 
given  through  heaven  from  the  Lord,  is  a  permanent 
medium  of  conjunction  between  heaven  and  the  w  orld  : 
for  which  end  there  is  a  correspondence  of  all  tilings 
in  the  letter  of  the  Word,  with  divine  things  in  hea- 
ven. But  on  every  other  earth  divine  truth  is  re- 
vealed to  the  inhabitants  in  an  audible  way  by  spirits 
and  angels,  and  is  therefore  necessarily  repeated  from 
time  to  time,  as  they  stand  in  need  of  it,  for  the  regu- 
lation of  their  faith  and  life. 

The  Lord  accepts  and  receives  all,  from  whatso- 
ever earth  they  be,  who  acknowledge  and  worship 
God  under  a  human  form,  since  God  under  a  human 
form  is  the  Lord.  And  as  the  Lord  appears  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  different  earths  in  an  angelic  form, 
which  is  the  same  as  the  human  form,  therefore  when 
spirits  and  angels  from  those  earths  hear  from  the 
spirits  and  angels  of  our  earth,  that  God  actually  is  a 
Man,  they  receive  that  Word,  acknowledge  it,  and 
rejoice  that  it  is  so. 

To  the  reasons  above  adduced,  why  the  Lord  was 
pleased  to  be  born  on  this  earth,  and  not  on  another, 
may  be  added,  that  the  inhabitants,  spirits,  and  an- 
gels of  our  earth,  in  the  Grand  Man  of  Heaven 
Universal,  have  reference  to  the  external  and  cor- 
poreal sense  ;  and  the  external  and  corporeal  sense  is 
the  ultimate,  in  which  the  interiors  of  life  close,  and 
in  which  they  rest  as  in  their  common  basis.  The 
case  is  similar  in  regard  to  divine  truth  in  the  letter, 
which  is  called  the  Word,  and  which  on  this  account 
also  was  given  on  this  earth,  and  not  on  another. 
Now  since  the  Lord  is  the  Word,  and  it's  first  and 
last,  that  all  things  might  exist  according  to  order, 
he  was  willing  also  on  this  account  to  be  born  on  this 


1KUE    CHRISTIAN  KiiLlGION. 


J  60 


earth,  and  he  made  the  Word  Incarnate,  according  to 
what  is  written  in  John,  "  In  the  beginning  was  the 
«  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  God  was 
"  the  Word.  All  things  were  made  bj  him,  and  with- 
"  out  him  was  not  any  thing  made  that  was  made. 
•<  And  the  Word  was  made  Flesh,  and  dwelt  among 
••  us."  John  i.  1,  3,  14. 

By  descending  therefore  on  this  earth,  and  assum- 
ing the  Humanity  among  the  meanest  and  most  sen- 
sual of  the  human  kind,  and  particularly  among  the 
Jewish  people,  who  without  injustice  may  be  consi- 
dered as  the  vilest  of  the  vile,  the  Lord  in  mercy  has 
extended  the  benefits  of  redemption  not  only  to  the 
men  of  this  earth,  but  to  all  the  inhabitants  of  the 
universe.  For  in  the  deliverance  wrought  for  the 
lowest,  he  at  the  same  time  included  the  highest ;  and 
thus  both  angels  and  men  of  every  class  and  degree 
of  life  may  participate  in  the  blessings,  which  his  di- 
vine love,  wisdom,  and  power,  have  provided  for 
them. 


L.    Concluding  Reflections. 

H  AVING  thus  stated  the  chief  doctrines  of  the  true 
christian  religion  in  as  concise  a  manner  as  the  differ- 
ent subjects  would  permit,  all  of  which  are  most  clear- 
ly founded  on,  and  deducible  from,  the  Holy  Word, 
we  shall  bring  this  Compendium  to  a  close  by  observ- 
ing, that  the  whole  system  of  christian  theology  re- 
solves itself  into  two  fundamental  articles,  which  en- 
ter into,  and  render  interesting  to  the  highest  degree, 
every  truth  of  divine  revelation.    These  are, 

I.  That  there  is  only  One  God  in  One  Divine  Per- 
son, in  whom  nevertheless  is  a  Diyine  Trinity  of  Fa- 
ther, Son.  and  Holy  Spirit,  similar  to  the  human  tri- 


164 


A   COMPENDIUM  OF  THE 


nity,  in  every  individual  man,  of  soul,  body,  and  pro- 
ceeding operation ;  and  that  our  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ  is  that  One  God. 

II.  That,  if  man  would  be  saved,  he  must  not  only 
believe  in  the  Lord,  but  also  live,  or  endeavour  to 
live,  according  to  his  divine  precepts  of  love  and  cha- 
rity, shunning  evils  of  every  description  as  sins  against 
him. 

These  two  fundamental  articles  of  the  true  christian 
religion  may  well  be  considered  as  the  two  witnesses, 
of  the  last  days,  heretofore  clothed  in  sackcloth,  and 
rejected  in  the  church,  but  now  at  length  reviving, 
standing  upon  their  feet,  and  testifying  to  the  world, 
in  the  first  place,  the  true  Object  of  divine  worship  ; 
and  in  the  second  place,  the  manner  how  such  wor- 
ship ought  to  be  performed,  so  as  to  become  accept- 
able in  the  sight  of  Heaven,  and  to  secure  to  man  the 
happiness  of  eternal  life.  The  first  distinguishes  the 
true  christian  religion  from  every  other  in  the  known 
world  :  for  it  teaches,  that  the  Supreme  Being,  the 
Creator  and  Preserver  of  the  world,  has  actually  ma- 
nifested himself  as  a  Divine  Man  ;  that  he  is  himself 
the  Redeemer  and  Saviour  of  the  human  race ;  and 
consequently  that  a  genuine  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  as 
the  Son  of  God,  is  at  the  same  time  a  faith  in  him  as 
the  Everlasting  Father.  The  second  article  holds  up 
to  view,  not  merely  the  duty  of  believing  in  him  with 
the  understanding,  which  of  itself  will  in  the  end  avail 
nothing,  but  (what  is  of  greater  importance)  insists 
upon  the  necessity  of  conscientiously  obeying  his  sa- 
cred laws,  by  departing  from  every  thing  that  is  op- 
posed to  his  Word,  by  embracing  with  the  supreme 
affections  of  the  heart  every  principle  of  the  heavenly 
life,  and  by  reducing  to  practice  all  that  we  know  or 
believe  to  be  the  divine  will. 


1ULK   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


165 


The  great  end  of  religion  is  to  render  man  useful 
and  happy,  both  in  this  life,  and  in  that  which  is  to 
come.  But  the  true  christian  religion,  above  all 
others,  is  capable  of  producing  this  effect ;  because, 
being  derived  immediately  from  the  God  of  heaven, 
whose  adorable  name  it  carries  on  it's  front,  it  con- 
tains a  full  display  of  his  divine  person,  attributes,  and 
perfections;  and  lays  down,  in  the  clearest  and  plain- 
est manner,  those  rules  of  life,  which,  if  attended  to 
in  sincerity  and  faithfulness,  according  to  the  light 
received,  cannot  fail  to  qualify  for  the  full  enjoyment 
of  everlasting  bliss. 

Many  are  the  particular  truths  included  in  the  great 
doctrines  submitted,  in  this  little  volume,  to  the  pe- 
rusal of  the  serious  and  candid  reader,  which  the 
limits  of  our  plan  would  not  permit  to  be  distinctly 
enlarged  upon  :  but  we  trust,  that  enough  has  been 
advanced  to  engage,  not  merely  his  curiosity,  but  the 
best  affections  of  his  heart,  in  the  pursuit  of  subjects, 
which  confessedly  carry  with  them  the  highest  inter- 
est, because  they  are  so  intimately  connected  with 
his  final  destiny.  Let  no  one,  therefore,  either  on 
account  of  the  apparent  novelty  of  some  of  the  senti- 
ments above  stated,  or  the  obscurity  and  weakness  of 
the  instruments  made  use  of  to  publish  them  to  the 
world,  treat  with  contempt  what  may  not  at  first  be 
clearly  understood  :  for  it  is  confirmed  by  universal 
experience,  that  many  things,  which  have  been  dis- 
approved of,  and  even  rejected,  at  one  time,  have  at 
another,  and  in  a  different  state  of  mind,  been  ac- 
knowledged and  cordially  embraced  as  the  very  truth 
of  heaven. 

The  surest  qualification  for  the  discovery  and  en- 
joyment of  genuine  truth,  is  not  the  cultivation  of  the 
understanding  only,  but  the  regulation  and  improve- 
ment of  the  will,  with  it's  various  affections ;  these 


16o 


A  COMPENDIUM,  &C 


having  a  power,  according  to  their  agreement  or  dis- 
agreement with  the  laws  of  divine  order,  either  to 
give  just  discernment  to  the  understanding,  or  to  over- 
shadow it  with  a  cloud  of  spiritual  darkness.  So  im- 
portant indeed  is  this  consideration,  that  it  was  thought 
proper  to  apprize  the  reader  of  it,  even  before  he  en- 
tered upon  the  work,  by  affixing  upon  the  title  page 
our  Lord's  own  words,  as  the  best  possible  direction 
how  to  proceed  in  the  investigation  and  study  of  doc- 
trines claiming  to  be  those  of  the  True  Christian 
Religion.  And  now,  having  delivered  them  in  a 
plain,  open,  and  candid  manner,  appealing,  when  ne- 
cessary, to  the  direct  testimony  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, for  authority  and  confirmation,  we  leave  them 
to  the  judgment  of  the  reader,  and  to  the  operations  of 
the  Divine  Providence  upon  his  mind  ;  being  well  as- 
sured, that  whosoever  is  already  in  the  good,  cannot 
be  far  from  the  true,  and  that  "  if  any  man  will  do  his 
u  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doctrine,  whether  it  be  of 
God,"  John  vii.  17. 


END   OF   THE  COMPENDIUM. 


EXTRACTS 


From  the  work  entitled,  "-True  Christian  Religion, 
containing  the  Universal  Theology  of  the  New 
Church,"  by  the  Hon.  Emanuel  Swedenborg. 


What  is  meant  by  the  new  heaven  and  new  earth,  and 
the  new  Jerusalem  thence  descending,  spoken  of  in 
the  Revelation. 

IT  is  written  in  the  Revelation,  I  saiv  a  neic  hea- 
ven and  a  new  earth,  for  the  former  heaven  and  the 
former  earth  were  passed  away.  Jind  I  John  saw  the 
holy  city  A^ew  Jerusalem  coming  down  from  God  out 
of  heaven,  prepared  as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  hus- 
band, chap.  xxi.  1,  2.  The  like  also  is  written  in  Isa- 
iah, Behold  I  create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  be 
ye  glad  and  rejoice  for  ever,  for  behold  I  create  Jeru- 
salem a  rejoicing,  and  her  people  a  joy,  chap.  lxv.  17, 
18.  That  a  new  heaven  is  at  this  day  forming  by  the 
Lord,  of  such  Christians  as  have  acknowledged  him  in 
the  world,  and  were  able  to  acknowledge  him  after 
their  departure  out  of  the  world,  to  be  the  God  of 
heaven  and  earth,  according  to  his  own  words  in  Matt, 
xxviii.  18,  was  shewn  above  in  this  chapter. 

The  true  ground  and  reason  why  the  New  Church 
is  meant  by  the  New  Jerusalem  coming  down  from 
God  out  of  heaven,  Rev.  xxi.  is,  because  Jerusalem 
was  the  metropolis  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  and 
therein  was  the  temple,  and  the  altar,  and  there 
also  sacrifices  were  offered,  consequently  the  essence 
of  dirine  worship  was  there  performed,  which  every 
male  throughout  the  whole  land  was  required  to 
attend  three  times  in  a  year ;  a  further  reason  is, 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


because  the  Lord  was  in  Jerusalem,  and  taught 
in  its  temple,  and  afterwards  glorified  his  humanity 
there  ;  this  is  the  true  ground  why  the  church  is  sig- 
nified by  Jerusalem.  That  by  Jerusalem  is  meant  the 
church,  is  very  clear  from  the  prophetical  parts  of  the 
Old  Testament,  speaking  of  the  new  church  which 
was  about  to  be  established  by  the  Lord,  and  which  is 
there  called  Jerusalem.  I  shall  only  adduce  the  fol- 
lowing passages,  from  which  any  one  of  interior  reason 
may  see,  that  by  Jerusalem  is  meant  the  church.  Be- 
hold I  create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  and 
the  former  shall  not  be  remembered  nor  come  to  mind  ; 
behold,  I  create  Jerusalem  a  rejoicing,  and  her 
people  a  joy,  arid  I  will  rejoice  in  Jerusalem,  and 
joy  in  my  people.  Then  the  wolf  and  the  lamb  shall 
feed  together:  they  shall  not  hurt  nor  destroy  in  all  the 
mountain  of  my  holiness,  Isaiah  lxv.  17,  19,  25.  For 
Zion's  sake  I  will  not  hold  my  peace,  and  for  Jeru- 
salem's sake  I  will  not  rest,  until  the  righteousness 
thereof  go  forth  as  a  lamp  that  burnetii.  Then  the 
Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righteousness,  and  all  kings  thy 
glory  ;  and  thou  shalt  be  called  by  a  new  name,  which 
the  mouth  of  the  Lord  shall  name  ;  thou  shalt  also  be  a 
crown  of  glory  and  a  royal  diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy 
God;  for  the  Lord  delighteth  in  thee,  and  thy  land 
shall  be  married.  Behold,  thy  salvation  cometh,  behold 
Ids  reward  is  with  him  ;  and  they  shall  call  them  the 
holy  people,  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  ;  and  thou  shalt 
be  called  Sought  out,  a  city  not  forsaken,  Isaiah  lxii. 
1  to  4,  11,  12.  Awake,  awake,  put  on  thy  strength  0 
Zion  ;  put  on  the  garments  of  thy  beauty,  0  Jerusa- 
lem, the  city  of  holiness  ;  for  henceforth  there  shall 
no  more  come  into  thee  the  uncircumcised  and  the  un- 
clean: Shake  thyself  from  the  dust,  arise,  and  sit  down, 
O  Jerusalem;  my  people  shall  know  my  name  ;  they 
shall  know  in  that  day  that  lam  he  that  doth  speak  ; 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN   RELIGION.  169 

behold  it  is  I:  the  Lord  hath  comforted  his  people,  he 
hath  redeemed  Jerusalem,  chap.  lii.  1,  2,  6,  9.  Sing; 
O  daughter  of  Zion,  rejoice  with  all  thy  heart,  O 
daughter  of  Jerusalem  ;  the  king  of  Israel  is  in  the 
■midst  of  thee  ;  fear  not  evil  any  more  ;  he  will  rejoice 
over  thee  with  joy  ;  he  will  rest  in  his  love  ;  he  will  joy 
over  thee  with  sing  ing  ;  I  will  give  you  for  a  name 
and  a  praise  among  all  people  of  the  earth,  Zephan. 
iii.  14  to  17,  20.  Thus  saith  Jehovah  thy  redeemer, 
saying  fo  Jerusalem,  Thou  shall  be  inhabited,  Isaiah 
xliv.  24,  26.  Thus  saith  Jehovah,  I  will  return  to 
Zion,  and  dwell  in  the  midst  of  Jerusalem,  and  Je- 
rusalem shall  be  called  a  city  of  truth,  and  the  moun- 
tain of  Jehovah  of  hosts,  the  mountain  of  holiness, 
Zech.  viii.  3,  20  to  23.  Then  shall  ye  know  that  I 
Jehovah  am  your  God  dwelling  in  Zion,  the  mountain 
of  holiness ;  then  shall  Jerusalem  be  holy;  audit 
shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  the  mountains  shall 
drop  down  with  new  wine,  and  the  hills  shall  flow  with 
milk,  and  Jerusalem  shall  remain  from  generation 
to  generation,  Joel  iii.  17  to  21.  In  that  day  shall  the 
branch  of  Jehovah  be  beautiful  and  glorious,  and  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  that  he  that  is  left  in  Zion,  and  he 
that  remaineth  in  Jerusalem  shall  be  called  holy,  every 
one  that  is  written  for  life  in  Jerusalem,  Isaiah  iv.  2, 
3.  But  in  the  last  days  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  the 
mountain  of  the  house  of  Jehovah  shall  be  established  in 
the  top  of  the  mountains  ;  for  the  law  shall  go  forth  out 
of  Zion,  and  the  word  of  Jehovah  from  Jerusalem, 
Micah  iv.  1,  2.  M  that  time  they  shall  call  Jerusalem 
Hie  throne  of  Jehovah,  and  all  the  nations  shall  be  ga- 
thered unto  it  to  the  name  of  Jehovah  to  Jerusalem, 
neither  sliall  they  walk  any  more  after  the  imagination 
of  their  evil  heart,  Jerem.  iii.  17.  Look  upon  Zion 
the  city  of  our  solemnities  ;  thine  eyes  shall  see  Jeru- 
c  alem  a  quiet  habitation,  a  tabernacle  that  shall  not  be 
p  2 


iru 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


taken  down  ;  not  one  of  the  stakes  thereof  shall  ever  be 
removed,  neither  shall  any  of  the  cords  thereof  be  broken, 
Isaiah  xxxiii.  20,  not  to  mention  other  passages,  as  Isai- 
ah xxiv.  23;  chap,  xxxvii.  32.  chap.  lxvi.  10  to  16.  Zech. 
xii.  3,  6  to  10.  chap.  xiv.  8,  11,12,21.  Mai.  iii.  4.  Psalm 
cxxii.  1  to  7.  Psalm  cxxxvii.  5,  6,  7.  That  by  Jerusalem 
in  these  passages  is  meant  a  church  that  was  to  be  esta- 
blished by  the  Lord,  and  not  the  city  of  Jerusalem  inha- 
bited by  the  Jews,  is  plain  from  every  particular  of  its 
description  therein  ;  as  that  Jehovah  God  was  about  to 
create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth,  and  also  a  Jeru- 
salem at  the  same  time  ;  and  that  this  Jerusalem  would 
be  a  crown  of  glory  and  a  royal  diadem  ;  that  it  was  to 
be  called  holiness,  and  a  city  of  truth,  the  throne  of 
Jehovah,  a  quiet  habitation,  a  tabernacle  that  shall  not 
be  taken  down  ;  that  the  wolf  and  the  lamb  shall  feed 
together  therein,  and  that  the  mountains  should  drop 
down  with  new  wine,  and  the  hills  flow  with  milk,  and 
that  it  should  remain  from  generation  to  generation  ; 
besides  other  circumstances  respecting  the  people 
therein,  that  they  should  be  holy,  all  written  for  life  ; 
and  should  be  called  the  redeemed  of  Jehovah.  More- 
over all  those  passages  relate  to  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
particularly  to  his  second  coming,  when  Jerusalem 
shall  become  such  as  it  is  there  described  ;  for  hereto- 
fore she  was  not  married,  that  is,  made  the  bride  and 
wife  of  the  lamb,  as  the  New  Jerusalem  is  said  to  be  in 
the  Revelation.  The  former  or  present  church  is 
meant  by  Jerusalem  in  Daniel,  and  its  commencement 
is  described  in  these  words,  Know  therefore  and  under- 
stand, that  from  the  going  forth  of  the  word,  to  restore 
and  to  build  Jerusalem,  unto  Messiah  the  prince, 
shall  be  seven  weeks,  and  after  threescore  and  two  weeks 
the  streets  shall  be  built  again,  and  the  wall,  even  in 
troublesome  times,  chap.  ix.  25  ;  but  its  end  is  described 
by  these  words,  At  length  upon  the  bird  of  abomina- 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN   RELIGION.  171 

tions  shall  be  desolation,  and  even  to  the  consummation 
and  decision  it  shall  be  poured  on  the  desolate,  verse 
27  ;  this  end  is  described  by  these  words  of  the  Lord 
in  Matthew,  IVhen  ye  shall  see  the  abomination  of  de- 
solation spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet  standing  in 
the  holy  place,  let  him  that  readeth  note  it  well,  chap, 
xxiv.  15.  That  by  Jerusalem  in  the  passage  above 
adduced,  is  not  meant  the  city  of  Jerusalem  which  was 
inhabited  by  the  Jews,  may  appear  from  many  places 
in  the  word,  where  it  is  said  of  that  city  that  it  was 
entirely  destroyed,  and  that  it  was  to  be  pulled  down, 
as  Jerem.  v.  1.  chap.  vi.  6,  7.  chap.  vii.  17,  18.  chap, 
viii.  6,  7,  8.  chap.  ix.  10,  11,  12.  chap.  xiii.  9,  10,  14. 
chap.  xiv.  16.  Lam.  i.  8,  9,  17.  Ezech.  iv.  1  to  the 
end.  chap.  v.  9  to  the  end.  chap.  xii.  18,  19.  chap.  xv.  6, 
7,  8.  chap.  xvi.  1  to  63.  chap,  xxiii.  1  to  40.  Matt,  xxiii. 
37,38.  Luke  xix.  41  to  44.  chap.  xxi.  20,  21,  22.  chap, 
xxiii.  28,  29,  30,  besides  many  other  passages  ;  and  also 
where  it  is  called  Sodom,  Isaiah  iii.  9.  Jerem.  xxiii.  14.' 
Ezech.  xvi.  46,  48  ;  and  in  other  places. 

That  the  church  is  the  Lord's,  and  that  by  virtue  of  a 
spiritual  marriage,  which  is  that  of  goodness  and  truth, 
the  Lord  is  called  the  bridegroom  and  husband,  and  the 
church  the  bride  and  wife,  is  known  amongst  Christians 
from  the  word,  particularly  from  the  following  passages, 
John  said  of  the  Lord,  He  that  hath  the  bride  is  the 
bridegroom;  but  the  friend  of  the  bridegroom, 
who  standetk  and  heareth  him,  rejolceth  greatly  because 
of  the  bridegroom's  voice,  John  iii.  29.  Jesus  said, 
Can  the  children  of  the  bride-chamber  fast  as 
long  as  the  bridegroom  is  with  them?  Matt.  ix.  15. 
Mark  ii.  19,  20.  Luke  v.  35.  Isaiv  the  holy  city  New 
Jerusalem  coming  dou  n  from  God  out  of  heaven,  pre- 
pared as  a  bride  adorned  for  her  husband, 
Revel,  xxi.  2.  The  angel  suid  to  John,  Come  hither, 
I will  shew  thee  the  bride  the  lamb's  wife,  and 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


from  an  high  mountain  he  shewed  him  that  great  city 
the  holy  Jerusalem,  chap.  xxi.  9,  10.  The  marriage 
of  the  lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  her- 
self ready  ;  blessed  are  they  which  are  called  unto  the 
marriage  supper  of  the  lamb,  chap.  xix.  7,  9.  / 
am  the  root  and  offspring  of  David,  the  bright  and 
morning  star;  the  spirit  and  the  bride  say, 
Gome  ;  and  let  him  that  is  athirst  come  ;  and  whosoever 
will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely,  chap.  xxii. 
16,  17. 

It  is  agreeable  to  divine  order  that  a  new  heaven  be 
formed  before  a  new  church  on  earth  ;  for  the  church 
is  both  internal  and  external,  and  the  internal  church 
maketh  one  with  the  church  in  heaven,  consequently 
with  heaven,  and  the  internal  must  be  formed  before  the 
external,  and  afterwards  the  external  bj  the  internal, 
which  is  a  truth  known  and  acknowledged  by  the 
clergy  in  the  world.  In  proportion  as  this  new  hea- 
ven, which  constituted  the  internal  of  the  church  in 
man,  groweth  and  increaseth,  in  the  same  proportion 
the  New  Jerusalem,  that  is,  the  new  church  cometh 
down  from  that  heaven  ;  wherefore  this  cannot  be  ef- 
fected in  a  moment,  but  in  proportion  as  the  falses  of 
the  former  church  are  removed  ;  for  what  is  new  can- 
not gain  admission  where  falses  have  before  taken 
possession,  unless  those  falses  are  first  rooted  out ; 
and  this  extirpation  of  falses  must  first  take  place 
amongst  the  clergy,  and  by  their  means  among&t  the 
laity  ;  for  the  Lord  saith,  No  man  putteth  new  wine 
into  old  bottles,  else  the  bottles  break,  and  the  wine  run- 
neth out ;  but  they  put  new  wine  into  new  bottlrs,  and 
both  are  preserved,  Matt.  ix.  17.  Mark  ii.  22.  Luke 
v.  37,  38.  That  these  things  cannot  come  to  pass  till 
the  consummation  of  the  age,  by  which  is  meant  tiie 
end  of  the  church,  is  plain  from  these  words  of  the 
Lord,  Jesus  said,  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened 


THU'E   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


173' 


unto  a  man  which  sowed  good  seed  in  his  field  ;  but 
while  men  slept,  his  enemy  came  a>id  sowed  tares  among 
the  wheat,  and  went  his  way  ;  and  when  the  blade  was 
sprung  up,  then  appeared  the  tares  also  ;  so  the  servants 
of  the  householder  came  and  said  to  him,  wilt  thou  that 
we  go  and  gather  up  the  tares  ?  But  he  said,  Nay,  lest, 
whilst  ye  gather  up  the  tares,  ye  root  up  also  the  wheat 
with  them.  Let  both  grow  together  until  the  harvest, 
and  in  the  time  of  harvest,  I  will  say  to  the  reapers, 
Gather  ye  together  first  the  tares,  and  bind  them  in  bun- 
dles to  burn  them  ;  but  gather  the  wheat  into  my  barn  ; 
the  harvest  is  the  consummation  of  the  age  ;  as  there- 
fore the  tares  are  gathered  and  burned  in  the  fire,  so 
also  shall  it  be  in  the  consummation  of  the  age,  Matt, 
xiii.  24  to  30,  39,  40.  By  wheat  in  this  passage  are 
meant  the  truths  and  goods  of  the  new  church,  and  by 
tares  the  falses  and  evils  of  the  former  church  ;  that 
by  the  consummation  of  the  age  is  understood  the  end 
of  the  church,  may  be  seen  in  the  first  article  of  this 
chapter. 

That  there  is  in  every  thing  an  internal  and  an  ex- 
ternal, and  that  the  external  tlependeth  on  the  inter- 
nal, as  the  body  does  on  its  soul,  must  be  evident  to 
any  one  that  considers  attentively  the  particular  parts 
of  creation.  In  man  this  truth  is  very  manifest ;  his 
whole  body  is  dependent  on  his  mind,  and  consequent- 
ly there  is  an  internal  and  an  external  in  whatever 
proceedeth  from  him  ;  in  every  particular  action  there 
is  the  will  of  his  mind  from  within,  and  in  every  parti- 
cular expression  of  speech  there  is  the  understanding 
of  his  mind,  and  the  case  is  the  same  in  every  bodily 
sense.  There  is  an  internal  and  an  external  also  in 
every  bird  and  beast,  nay,  in  every  insect  and  worm  ; 
also  in  every  tree,  plant  and  shrub,  nay,  in  every  stone 
and  smallest  particle  of  dust.  For  the  illustration  of 
this  truth  it  may  suffice  to  consider  a  few  particulars 


174 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


respecting  a  silk-worm,  a  bee,  and  a  particle  of  dust. 
The  internal  of  a  silk-worm  is  that,  by  virtue  whereof 
its  external  is  impelled  to  spin  its  silken  web,  and  after- 
wards to  assume  wings  like  a  butterfly  and  fly  abroad. 
The  internal  of  a  bee  is  that,  by  virtue  whereof  its 
external  is  impelled  to  suck  honey  out  of  flowers,  and 
to  construct  waxen  cells  after  a  wonderful  form.  The 
internal  of  a  particle  of  dust,  whereby  its  external  is 
impelled,  is  its  tendency  to  make  the  seeds  of  plants 
vegetate,  exhaling  somewhat  from  its  little  bosom, 
which  insinuates  itself  into  the  inmost  [parts]  of  the 
seeds,  and  produceth  this  wonderful  effect,  whilst  that 
internal  attendeth  the  plant's  vegetation  even  to  the 
formation  of  new  seeds.  The  case  is  the  same  in 
things  of  an  opposite  nature,  as  for  instance,  in  a  spi- 
der, which  hath  both  an  internal  and  an  external,  its 
internal,  by  which  its  external  is  impelled,  is  an  incli- 
nation and  a  faculty  thence  derived,  to  weave  a  most 
curious  web,  in  the  centre  whereof  it  may  watch  and 
lie  in  wait  for  intruding  flies,  which  it  suddenly  seiz- 
eth  upon  for  its  food ;  the  same  is  true  with  respect  to 
every  other  noxious  insect,  and  also  with  respect  to 
every  serpent,  and  wild  beast  of  the  forest;  in  like 
manner  there  is  both  an  internal  and  an  external  in 
every  wicked,  cunning,  and  deceitful  man. 

That  this  second  coming  of  the  Lord  is  effected  by  a 
man,  before  whom  he  hath  manifested  himself  in  per- 
son, and  whom  he  hath  filled  with  his  spirit,  to 
teach  the  doctrines  of  the  new  church  by  the  word 
from  him. 

Inasmuch  as  the  Lord  cannot  manifest  himself  in 
person,  as  was  shewn  above,  and  yet  he  foretold  that 
he  should  come,  and  establish  a  new  church,  which  is 
New  Jerusalem,  it  follows  that  he  will  effect  this  by  a 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


ITS 


man,  who  not  only  can  receive  the  doctrines  of  that 
church  in  his  understanding,  but  also  publish  them  in 
print.  That  the* Lord  hath  manifested  himself  before 
me  his  servant,  and.  sent  me  on  this  office,  and  that 
afterwards  he  opened  the  sight  of  my  spirit,  and  there- 
by let  me  into  the  spiritual  world,  and  granted  me  to 
see  the  heavens  and  the  hells,  and  also  to  converse 
with  angels  and  spirits,  and  this  now  continually  for 
several  years,  I  testify  in  truth  ;  and  further,  that 
from  the  first  day  of  my  call  to  this  office,  I  never  re- 
ceived any  thing  appertaining  to  the  doctrines  of  that 
church  from  any  angel,  but  from  the  Lord  alone, 
whilst  I  was  reading  the  word. 

To  the  end  that  the  Lord  might  be  constantly  pre- 
sent, he  revealed  to  me  the  spiritual  sense  of  his  word, 
in  which  sense  divine  truth  is  in  its  light,  and  in  this 
light  he  is  continually  present;  for  his  presence  in  the 
word  is  only  by  means  of  the  spiritual  sense,  through 
the  light  whereof  he  passeth  into  a  shade,  in  which  is 
the  sense  of  the  letter,  comparatively  as  the  light  of 
the  sun  doth  in  the  day-time  by  the  interposition  of  a 
cloud  ;  that  the  literal  sense  of  the  word  is  as  a  cloud, 
and  the  spiritual  sense  glory,  and  the  Lord  himself 
the  sun  from  which  light  proceedeth,  and  that  thus 
the  Lord  is  the  word,  was  proved  above.  That  the 
glory  in  which  he  is  to  come,  Matt.  xsiv.  30,  signifieth 
divine  truth  in  its  own  proper  light,  in  which  the  spi- 
ritual sense  of  the  word  is,  is  abundantly  evident  from 
the  following  passages,  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth 
in  the  icilderness,  prepare  ye  the  way  of  Jehovah,  and 
the  glory  of  Jehovah  shall  be  revealed,  and  all  flesh 
shall  see  it  together,  Isaiah  xl.  3,  5.  Jlrise,  shine,  for 
thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  Jehovah  is 
risen  upon  thee,  chap  xli.  to  the  end.  /  will  give  thee 
for  a  covenant  of  the  people,  for  a  light  of  the 
Gentiles,  and  my  glory  will  I  not  give  to  another, 


176 


EXTRACTS,  &C. 


chap.  xtii.  6,8.  chap.xlviii.il.  Thy  light  shall 
break  forth  as  the  morning,  the  glory  of  Jehovah 
shall  gather  thee  up,  chap.  Iviii.  8.  •  The  whole  earth 
shall  be  filled  with  the  glory  of  Jehovah,  Isaiah  vi. 
1,2,  5.  chap.  lxvi.  18.  In  the  beginning  was  the  word, 
in  him  was  life,  and  the  life  was  the  light  of  men, 
this  was  the  true  light,  and  the  word  was  made 
flesh,  and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the 
only-begotten  of  the  father,  John  i.  1,4,  9,  14. 
The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God,  Psalm  xix.  2. 
the  glory  of  God  shall  lighten  the  holy  Jerusalem, 
and  the  lamb  is  the  light  thereof,  and  the  nations  which 
are  saved  shall  walk  in  the  light  of  it,  Rev.  xxi.  23, 
24 ;  not  to  mention  several  other  passages  to  the  same 
purpose.  The  reason  why  glory  signifieth  divine  truth 
in  its  fulness  is,  because  all  that  is  magnificent  in 
heaven  is  from  the  light  which  proceedeth  from  the 
Lord,  and  the  light  proceeding  from  him  as  the  sun  of 
heaven  is  in  its  essence  divine  truth. 

See  JVbs.  781,  782,  783,  784,  785,  779,  and  780. 


THE  END. 


A 

TREATISE 

ON 

THE  DIVINE  TRINITY, 

TOGETHER  WITH 

AN  ACCOUNT  OF  WONDERFUL  THINGS 

SEEN  IN  THE  SPIRITUAL  WORLD. 
EXTRACTED  FROM 

THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION, 

COXTAUflXS 

THE  UNIVERSAL  THEOLOGY  OF  THE  NEW  CHURCH 

BY  EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG, 

SERVAJTT  OF  THE  LORD  JESUS  CHRIST. 

PHILADELPHIA : 
PRINTED  FOR  WILLIAM  SCHLATTER. 

LTDI A  B.  BAILEY,  FBISTEB. 

1817=61. 


•*  Jesus  said :  Search  the  Scriptures,  for  in  them  ye 
think  ye  have  eternal  life,  and  they  are  they  which 
testify  of  Me."  John  v.  39. 

"  Verily  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  believelh  on 
Me  hath  everlasting  life."  John  vi.  47. 

"  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth,  and  the  life:  no  man 
cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  Me."  John  xiv.  6. 

«  land  my  Father  are  One."  John  x.  30. 


EXTRACT 


FROM 

THE  UNIVERSAL  THEOLOGY  OF  THE  NEW  CHURCH, 
BT  THE  HOJY.  EMJJVUEL  SWEDENBORG . 


Of  the  Divinf.  Trinity. 

HAVING  treated  of  God  the  creator,  and  at  the 
same  time  of  creation,  and  afterwards  of  the  Lord  the 
redeemer,  and  at  the  same  time  of  redemption,  and 
lastly  of  the  holy  ghost,  and  at  the  same  time  of  the 
divine  operation,  and  having  thus  treated  of  the  triune 
God,  it  is  expedient  now  to  treat  also  concerning  the 
divine  trinity,  a  doctrine  which  in  the  Christian  world 
is  known,  and  yet  is  unknown.  The  expedience  of 
this  doctrine  appeareth  from  hence,  that  by  it  alone 
we  can  acquire  a  right  idea  of  God,  and  aright  idea  of 
God  is  to  the  church  what  the  inner  court  and  altar 
were  to  the  temple*;  or  like  a  crown  on  the  head,  and 
a  sceptre  in  the  hand  of  a  king  sitting  on  his  throne  ; 
for  as  one  link  of  chain  is  united  with,  and  dependeth 
on  another,  so  doth  the  whole  body  of  theology  depend 
on  a  right  idea  of  God,  as  its  head  ;  and,  if  the  reader 
is  in  a  disposition  to  receive  and  credit  it,  every  one 
hath  a  place  in  heaven  according  to  his  idea  of  God  ; 
for  this  idea  is  like  a  touchstone  v  hereby  gold  and 
silver  are  proved,  that  is,  it  is  the  true  test  whereby  to 
examine  the  quality  of  goodness  and  truth  in  man,  in- 
asmuch as  no  possible  saving  good  can  come  but  from 
God,  and  there  is  not  a  single  saving  truth  but  what 


EXTIIACTS   FROM  THE 


deriveth  its  quality  from  the  bosom  of  goodness.  To 
unfold  the  doctrine  concerning  the  divine  trinity  more 
fully,  so  that  men  may  see  it  with  both  their  eyes,  we 
shall  arrange  it  under  the  following  articles, — I.  That 
there  is  a  divine  trinity,  consisting  of father,  son,  and 
holy  ghost.  II.  That  these  three,  father,  son,  and  holy 
ghost,  are  three  essentials  of  one  God,  which  make  one, 
like  soul,  body,  and  operation  in  man.  III.  That  be- 
fore the  creation  of  the  world  there  was  no  such  trinity, 
but  that  it  was  provided  and  made,  since  the  creation 
of  the  world,  when  God  was  manifested  in  the  flesh, 
and  then  existed  in  the  Lord  God,  the  redeemer,  and 
saviour,  Jesus  Christ.  IV.  That  a  trinity  of  divine 
persons,  existing  from  eternity,  or  before  the  creation 
of  the  world,  when  conceived  in  idea,  is  a  trinity  of 
Gods,  which  can  never  be  expelled  by  the  oral  confes- 
sion of  one  God.  V.  That  a  trinity  of  persons  was 
unknown  in  the  apostolic  church,  and  that  the  doctrine 
tvas  first  broached  by  the  council  of  Nice,  and  thence 
received  into  the  Romish  church,  and  thus  propagated 
amongst  the  reformed  churches.  VI.  That  the  Nicene 
and  Athanasian  doctrine  concerning  the  trinity  have 
together  given  birth  to  a  faith,  which  hath  totally  cor- 
rupted the  Christian  church.  VII.  That  hence  is 
come  that  abomination  of  desolation,  and  that  affliction 
such  as  was  not  in  all  the  world,  neither  shall  be,  which 
the  Lord  hath  foretold  in  Daniel,  and  the  Evangelists, 
and  the  Revelation.  VIII.  Hence  too  it  is  come  to 
pass,  that  except  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  church  be 
established  by  the  Lord,  no  flesh  can  be  saved.  IX. 
That  a  trinity  of  persons,  each  whereof  singly  and  by 
himself  is  God,  according  to  the  Athanasian  creed, 
hath  given  birth  to  many  absurd  and  heterogeneous  no- 
tions concerning  God,  which  are  merely  fanciful  and 
abortive.  We  shall  now  proceed  to  a  particular  ex- 
planation of  each  article. 


mUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


i.  That  there  is  a  divine  trinity,  consisting  of  father, 
son,  and  holy  ghost. 

That  there  is  a  divine  trinity,  consisting  of  father, 
son,  and  holy  ghost,  is  manifestly  declared  in  the  word, 
and  particularly  in  these  passages,  The  angel  said  un- 
to Mary,  the  holy  ghost  shall  come  upon  thee,  and 
the  power  of  the  highest  shall  overshadow  thee, 
wherefore  also  that  holy  thing  which  shall  be  bom  of 
thee  shall  be  called  the  son  of  God,  Luke  i.  35. 
Here  mention  is  made  of  three,  viz.  the  highest,  (who 
is  God  the  father)  the  holy  ghost,  and  the  son  of  God  ; 
When  Jesus  was  baptized,  lo  !  the  heavens  were  opened, 
and  John  saw  the  holy  ghost  descending  like  a  dove, 
and  lighting  upon  him,  and  lo!  a  voice  from  heaven 
saying,  this  is  my  beloved  son,  in  whom  I  am  well 
pleased,  Matt.  iii.  16,  17.  Mark  i.  10,  11.  John  i.  52. 
It  is  still  more  evidently  declared  in  these  words  of 
the  Lord  to  his  disciples,  Go  ye  and  teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  father,  and  of 
the  son,  and  of  the  holy  ghost,  Matt,  xxviii.  19. 
And  in  these  words  of  John,  There  are  three  that  bear 
witness  in  heaven,  the  father,  the  word,  and  the 
holy  ghost,  1st  Epist.  Chap.  v.  7.  To  this  may  be 
added  the  farther  evidence  arising  from  the  circum- 
stance of  our  Lord's  praying  to  his  father,  and  speak- 
ing of  him,  and  with  him,  and  declaring  that  he  would 
send  the  holy  ghost,  which  also  he  did.  The  apostles 
also,  in  their  epistles,  make  frequent  mention  of  the 
father,  the  son,  and  the  holy  ghost.  Hence  then  it  is 
evident  that  there  is  a  divine  trinity,  consisting  of  fa- 
ther, son,  and  holy  ghost. 

But  in  what  sense  this  trinity  is  to  be  understood, 
whether  as  consisting  of  three  Gods,  who  in  es- 
sence, and  consequently  in  name,  are  one  God ;  or 


4 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


three*  objects  of  one  subject,  and  thus  only  the  quali- 
ties, or  attributes,  of  one  God,  which  are  so  expressed  ; 
or  whether  it  is  to  be  understood  in  some  other  sense, 
human  reason,  if  left  to  itself,  can  by  no  means  dis- 
cern. What  then  is  man  to  do,  or  where  is  he  to  ask 
counsel  in  a  point  so  intricate  ?  There  is  no  other 
possible  help  for  him,  but  to  go  to  the  Lord  God  the 
Saviour,  and  read  the  word  under  his  influence,  inas- 
much as  he  is  the  God  of  the  word  ;  and  then  his  un- 
derstanding will  be  enlightened,  and  he  will  see  truths 
which  his  reason  also  will  consent  to.  But  in  case,  O 
man !  thou  dost  not  go  to  the  Lord,  although  thou  should- 
est  read  the  word  a  thousand  times  over,  and  shouldest 
discern  therein  both  a  divine  trinity  and  unity,  yet  in 
vain  wilt  thou  hope  to  see  the  trinity  in  any  other  light 
than  as  consisting  of  three  divine  persons,  each  where- 
of singly  and  by  himself  is  God,  and  thus  as  contain- 
ing three  Gods.  Such  doctrine  however  is  plainly  re- 
pugnant to  the  common  perception  of  all  men  through- 
out the  universe,  and  therefore  its  advocates,  to  avoid 
the  imputation  of  folly,  take  refuge  in  this  device,  viz. 
that  although  in  reality  there  are  three  Gods,  yet  faith 
requires,  that  they  should  not  be  called  three  Gods, 
but  one  ;  and  farther,  to  guard  against  the  aspersions 
of  censure,  they  give  out,  that  the  understanding,  in 
this  case  particularly,  should  be  put  in  chains,  and  kept 
bound  under  obedience  to  faith.  The  production  of 
such  a  paralytic  birth  was  a  consequence  of  not  read- 
ing the  word  under  the  Lord's  influence;  for  whoso- 

*  The  terms  object,  and  subject,  are  here  used  according1  to 
the  se"nse  of  the  school-philosophers  ;  in  which  sense  by  object 
is  meant  some  particular  quality,  or  property,  resulting  from 
any  subject;  and  by  sttbject,  the  bod}',  or  thing',  in  which  such 
quality,  or  property,  is  inherent ;  thus  colour,  in  respect  to  bo- 
dy, may  be  called  the  object,  and  body,  in  respect  to  its  colour, 
may  be  called  subject. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


ever  doth  not  read  it  under  his  influence,  readeth  it 
under  the  influence  of  his  own  understanding,  which 
is  like  a  bird  of  night  in  relation  to  things  that  are  in 
spiritual  light,  as  are  all  the  essentials  of  the  church. 
When  therefore  a  man,  under  the  influence  of  his  own 
understanding,  readeth  those  passages  in  the  word 
which  relate  to  the  trinity,  and  thence  couceiveth, 
that  notwithstanding  there  are  three,  j-et  still  those 
three  are  one,  this  appeareth  to  him  like  one  of 
those  dark  answers  that  were  wont  to  be  given  by 
the  oracles  of  old,  which  because  he  doth  not  under- 
stand, he  mumbles  it  in  his  mouth,  instead  of  placing 
it  directly  before  his  eyes  :  for  if  he  should  take  such 
a  direct  view  of  it,  it  would  be  like  a  riddle,  which 
the  more  he  desires  to  unfold,  so  much  the  more 
it  would  puzzle  and  confuse  him,  till  at  last  he  would 
begin  to  think  of  it  without  understanding,  which  is 
the  same  thiug  as  to  pretend  to  see  without  an  eye. 
In  short,  to  read  the  word  under  the  influence  of  our 
own  understanding  only,  which  is  the  case  with  all 
those  who  do  not  acknowledge  the  Lord  to  be  the  God 
of  heaven  and  earth,  and  in  consequeuce  of  such  ac- 
knowledgment approach,  and  worship  him  alone,  may 
be  likened  unto  a  common  pastime  amongst  children, 
when  they  tie  a  handkerchief  before  their  eyes,  and 
attempt  to  walk  in  a  straight  line,  and  even  fancy  that, 
they  do  walk  straight,  and  yet,  notwithstanding,  de- 
cline gradually  either  to  the  right,  or  left,  and  at 
length  bend  into  a  direction  opposite  to  that  in  which 
they  set  out,  till  they  stumble  upon  some  stone,  or 
other  in  the  way,  and  fall  to  the  ground.  Such  per- 
sons also  may  be  compared  with  mariners  sailing  with- 
out a  compass,  the  consequence  of  which  is,  that  they 
let  the  vessel  drive  upon  rocks  and  sands,  and  are 
shipwrecked.  They  are  also  like  a  man  walking  over 
a  wide  plain  in  the  dark,  who  seeth  a  scorpion,  and 
q  2 


s 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


fancieth  it  to  be  a  bird,  and  goeth  to  catch  it,  and  take 
it  up  in  his  hand,  and  doth  not  discover  his  mistake 
till  he  is  pierced  with  its  deadly  sting.  They  may 
likewise  be  compared  with  a  cormorant,  or  a  kite,  spy- 
ing a  small  part  of  a  fish's  back  above  the  surface  of 
the  water,  to  which  they  instantly  fly,  and  fix  their 
beaks  so  fast  therein,  that  they  are  pulled  over  head 
by  the  fish,  and  drowned.  They  are  also  like  a  person 
who  enters  into  a  labyrinth,  without  either  a  guide  or 
a  thread  for  his  direction,  the  consequence  of  which  is, 
that  the  farther  he  penetrates,  the  more  he  is  at  a  loss 
to  find  his  way  out  again.  In  fine,  the  man  who  read- 
eth  the  word,  not  under  the  Lord's  influence,  but  un- 
der the  influence  of  his  own  understanding,  fancieth 
himself  to  be  as  quick -sighted  as  a  lynx,  and  to  have 
more  eyes  than  Argus,  when  yet  interiorly  he  does  not 
discern  a  single  truth,  but  only  what  is  false,  and  per- 
suading himself  that  this  is  truth,  it  appears  to  him 
like  the  polar  star,  by  which  he  steereth,  and  to  which 
he  directeth  all  the  sails  of  thought  and  conception, 
till  at  length  he  hath  no  more  discernment  of  truth 
than  a  mole,  and  what  he  doth  discern  he  bendeth  in 
favour  of  his  own  fancy,  whereby  he  perverteth,  and 
falsifieth  the  holy  tilings  of  the  word. 

II.  That  these  three,  father,  son,  and  holy  ghost,  are 
three  essentials  of  one  God,  which  make  one,  like 
soul,  body,  and  operation,  in  man. 
There  are  general,  and  also  particular  essentials  of 
every  one  thing,  which  all  together  constitute  one  es- 
sence.   The  general  essentials  of  every  one  man  are 
his  soul,  body,  and  operation  ;  and  that  these  consti- 
tute one  essence  is  evident  from  this  circumstance, 
that  one  existeth  by  derivation  from  the  other,  and  for 
the  sake  of  the  other,  in  a  continued  series;  for  man 
hath  his  beginning  from  the  soul,  which  is  the  very 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


7 


essence  of  the  seed,  and  which  is  not  only  the  initi- 
ating, but  also  the  producing  cause  of  all  the  parts  of 
the  body  in  their  respective  order,  and  afterwards  of 
all  acts  proceeding  from  the  soul  and  body  united, 
which  are  called  operations ;  wherefore  from  this  cir- 
cumstance of  the  production  of  one  from  another,  and 
their  consequent  insertion,  and  conjunction  one  with 
another,  it  is  evident  that  these  three  are  of  one  es- 
sence, and  therefore  they  are  called  three  essentials. 

That  these  three  essentials,  viz.  soul,  body,  and 
operation,  did,  and  do  exist  in  the  Lord  God  the  Sa- 
viour, is  universally  acknowledged.  That  his  soul 
was  from  Jehovah  the  father  can  only  be  denied  by 
antichrist,  for  in  the  word  of  both  the  new  and  old 
testament  he  is  called  the  son  of  Jehovah,  the  son  of 
the  most  high  God,  the  only-begotten  ;  wherefore  the 
divinity  of  the  father,  answering  to  the  soul  in  man,  is 
his  first  essential.  That  the  son,  who  was  born  of  the 
mother  Mary,  is  the  body  of  that  divine  soul,  is  a  con- 
sequence of  that  birth,  inasmuch  as  nothing  is  provid- 
ed in  the  womb  of  the  mother  except  a  body,  conceiv- 
ed by,  and  derived  from  the  soul ;  this  therefore  is  a 
second  essential.  That  operations  constitute  a  third 
essential  is  a  consequence  of  their  proceeding  from 
soul  and  body  together ;  for  the  things  that  proceed 
are  of  the  same  essence  with  the  things  from  whence 
they  proceed.  That  the  three  essentials  which  are 
father,  son,  and  holy  ghost,  are  one  in  the  Lord,  like 
soul,  body,  and  operation  in  man,  is  evident  from  the 
words  of  the  Lord,  declaring,  that  he  and  the  father 
are  one,  and  that  the  father  is  in  him,  and  he  in  the 
father;  and  that  in  like  manner  he  and  the  holy  ghost 
are  one,  inasmuch  as  the  holy  ghost  is  the  divine-pro- 
ceeding out  of  the  Lord  from  the  father,  as  was  shewn 
above,  No.  153,  154,  by  so  many  quotations  from  the 
word,  that  to  prove  it  again  would  be  superfluous,  and 


8 


EXTRACTS  y ROM  THE 


like  loading  a  table  with  food,  when  men  have  satisfied 
their  appetites. 

When  it  is  said  that  father,  son,  and  holy  ghost  are 
three  essentials  of  one  God,  it  appears  to  human  reason 
as  if  those  three  essentials  were  three  distinct  persons, 
which  yet  cannot  possibly  be  true ;  but  when  it  is  un- 
derstood that  the  divinity  of  the  father,  which  consti- 
tute^! the  soul,  and  the  divinity  of  the  son,  which  con- 
stituted the  body,  and  the  divinity  of  the  holy  ghost, 
or  the  divine-proceeding,  which  constituted  operation, 
are  three  essentials  of  one  God,  this  the  understand- 
ing can  apprehend.  For  there  is  a  peculiar  divinity  of 
nature  in  God  the  father,  in  the  son  derived  from  the 
father,  and  in  the  holy  ghost  proceeding  from  both, 
which  being  of  the  same  essence,  and  the  same  mind, 
constitute  together  one  God.  But  if  those  three  divine 
natures  are  called  persons,  and  have  each  of  them  their 
particular  attributes  allotted  them,  as  when  imputa- 
tion is  ascribed  to  the  father,  mediation  to  the  son, 
and  operation  to  the  holy  ghost,  in  this  case  the  divine 
essence  is  divided,  which  yet  is  one,  and  individual, 
and  thus  none  of  the  three  is  God  in  perfect  fulness, 
but  each  in  subtriplicate  power,  which  is  a  conceit  that 
every  sober  and  sensible  man  must  of  necessity  reject. 

How  plain  therefore  is  it  to  discern  a  trinity  in  the 
Lord  by  a  trinity  discernible  in  every  individual  man  ! 
For  in  every  individual  man  there  is  a  soul,  a  body, 
and  operation  ;  and  so  it  is  also  with  respect  to  the 
Lord,  inasmuch  as  in  him,  as  Paul  saith,  dwelleth  all 
the  fulness  of  the  godhead  bodily,  Coloss.  ii.  9.  Where- 
fore the  trinity  in  the  Lord  is  divine,  but  in  man  it  is 
human.  How  plain  also  is  it  to  see,  that  in  this  mys- 
tery, representing  three  divine  persons,  and  yet  but 
one  God,  and  this  one  God  not  as  one  person  ;  reason 
hath  nothing  to  do,  but  is  lulled  to  sleep,  still  compell- 
ing the  mouth  to  speak  like  a  parrot  without  meaning ! 


TRUE    CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


And  when  reason  is  laid  asleep,  what  are  the  words 
of  the  mouth  but  lifeless  and  inanimate  things?  Or 
when  the  mouth  speaketh  what  the  reason  contradict- 
eth,  what  are  such  words  but  the  offspring  of  folly  and 
infatuation  ?  At  this  day,  with  respect  to  the  divine 
trinity,  human  reason  is  bound,  like  a  man  tied  hand 
and  foot  in  a  prison,  and  may  be  compared  to  a  vestal 
virgin  buried  alive,  for  letting  out  the  sacred  fire; 
when  nevertheless  a  divine  trinity  ought  to  shine  like 
a  lamp  in  the  mind  of  every  member  of  the  church, 
since  God  in  his  trinity,  and  in  his  unity,  is  all  in  all 
in  every  thing  that  is  holy  either  in  heaven  or  the 
church.  But  to  make  one  God  of  the  soul,  another  of 
the  body,  and  a  third  of  the  operation,  what  is  this  but 
like  forming  three  distinct  parts  out  of  the  three  es- 
sentials of  one  man,  which  is  to  behead,  and  murder 
him  ? 

III.  TJiat  before  the  creation  of  the  world  there  ires 
no  such  trinity,  but  that  it  was  provided,  and  made, 
since  the  creation,  when  God  was  manifested  in  the 
flesh,  and  then  ejeisted  in  the  Lord  God,  the  redeemer, 
and  saviour,  Jesus  Christ. 

In  the  Christian  church,  at  this  day,  a  divine  trinity 
is  acknowledged  as  existing  before  the  creation  of  the 
world,  according  to  which  acknowledgment  it  is  sup- 
posed, that  Jehovah  God  begat  a  son  from  eternity, 
and  that  at  the  same  time  the  holy  ghost  proceeded 
from  both,  and  that  each  of  these  three  singly,  or  by 
himself,  is  God,  inasmuch  as  each  is  one  person  sub- 
sisting of  himself.  But  this  belief,  being  incomprehen- 
sible to  reason,  is  called  a  mystery,  to  which  there  is 
no  other  key  save  this,  that  those  three  partake  of  one 
divine  essence,  by  which  is  understood  eternity,  im- 
mensity, omnipotence,  and  in  consequence  thereof  an 
equality  of  divinity,  glory,  and  majesty.    That  this 


10 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


trinity  however  is  a  trinity  of  three  Gods,  and  there- 
fore not  a  divine  trinity,  will  be  proved  hereafter  ;  but 
that  a  trinity,  consisting  of  father,  son,  and  holy  ghost, 
which  was  provided,  and  made,  after  God's  incarna- 
tion, consequently  after  the  creation  of  the  world,  is 
a  divine  trinity,  inasmuch  as  itexisteth  in  one  God,  is 
evident  from  all  that  hath  been  said  above.  The  reason 
why  this  divine  trinity  existeth  in  the  Lord  God,  the 
redeemer  and  saviour  Jesus  Christ,  is,  because  the 
three  essentials,  of  one  God,  which  constitute  one  es- 
sence, are  in  him.  That  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  ful- 
ness of  the  godhead,  according  to  Paul,  is  evident  also 
from  the  Lord's  own  words,  where  he  saith,  that  all 
that  the  father  hath  is  his,  and  that  the  holy  ghost  doth 
not  speak  of  himself,  but  from  him  ;  and  also  from  this 
circumstance,  that  at  his  resurrection  he  took  with 
him  from  the  sepulchre  his  whole  human  body  entire, 
both  as  to  flesh  and  bones,  Matt,  xxviii.  1,  to  8.  Mark, 
xvi.  5,  6.  Luke  xxiv.  1,  2,  3,  John  xx.  11,  to  15,  con- 
trary to  the  manner  of  other  men ;  which  also  he  tes- 
tified openly  to  his  disciples,  saying,  Behold  my  hands 
and  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself ;  handle  me  and  see,  for  a 
spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones,  as  ye  see  me  have,  Luke 
xxiv.  39.  From  hence  every  man  may  be  convinced, 
if  he  be  so  disposed,  that  the  humanity  of  the  Lord  is 
divine,  and  consequently  that  in  him  God  is  man,  and 
man  is  God. 

The  trinity  which  the  present  Christian  church  em- 
braceth,  and  admitteth  into  its  articles  of  faith,  is, 
that  God  the  father  begat  a  son  from  eternity,  and  that 
then  the  holy  ghost  proceeded  from  both,  and  that 
each  by  himself  is  God.  Of  this  trinity  no  other  pos- 
sible conception  can  be  formed  in  the  minds  of  men, 
than  as  of  a  triarchy,  or  as  of  the  government  of  three 
kings  in  one  kingdom,  or  three  generals  over  one  army, 
or  three  masters  in  one  house,  each  of  whom  hatk 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


11 


equal  power ;  the  certain  consequence  of  which  must 
be  ruin  and  destruction.  And  should  any  one  be  de- 
sirous to  sketch  out  the  form  or  figure  of  such  a  tri- 
archy in  his  imagination,  he  must  be  obliged  to  repre- 
sent it  to  his  fancy  like  a  man  with  three  heads  upon 
one  body,  or  with  three  bodies  under  one  head  ;  which 
monstrous  image  is  nevertheless  formed  in  the  imagi- 
nation of  those,  who  believe  in  three  divine  persons, 
and  that  each  by  himself  is  God,  and  join  these  to- 
gether as  one  God,  and  yet  deny  that  God,  notwith- 
standing his  unity,  is  one  person.  This  notion  con- 
cerning the  birth  of  the  son  of  God  from  eternity,  and 
that  this  son  descended,  and  assumed  the  humanity, 
may  be  compared  with  the  fabulous  stories  amongst 
the  ancients,  concerning  the  creation  of  human  souls 
at  the  beginning  of  the  world,  and  their  entering  into 
bodies,  and  becoming  men  ;  and  likewise  with  those 
ridiculous  conceits,  that  the  soul  of  one  person  passeth 
into  another,  as  many  in  the  Jewish  church  believed, 
fancying  that  the  soul  of  Elias  had  passed  into  the  body 
of  John  the  Baptist,  and  that  David  would  return  into 
his  own  body,  or  that  of  some  other  person,  and  reign 
over  Israel  and  Judah,  because  it  is  said  in  Ezekiel, 
I  will  set  up  one  shepherd  over  them,  and  he  shall  feed 
them,  even  my  servant  David,  and  he  shall  be  their 
shepherd,  and  I  Jehovah  ivill  be  their  God,  and  my 
servant  David  a  prince  among  them,  Chap,  xxxiv.  23, 
24.  And  in  other  places  ;  not  discerning  that  by  David 
there  is  meant  the  Lord. 

IV.  That  a  trinity  of  divine  persons  existing  from 
eternity,  or  before  the  creation  of  the  world,  when 
conceived  in  idea,  is  a  trinity  of  Gods,  which  can- 
not be  expelled  by  the  oral  confession  of  one  God. 

That  a  trinity  of  divine  persons  existing  from  eter- 
nity is  a  trinity  of  Gods,  appears  evidently  from  these 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


passages  in  the  Athanasian  creed,  There  is  one  person 
of  the  father,  another  of  the  son,  and  another  of  the 
holy  ghost ;  the  father  is  God  and  Lord,  the  son  is 
God  and  Lord,  and  the  holy  ghost  is  God  and  Lord  ; 
nevertheless  there  are  not  three  Gods,  or  three  Lords, 
but  one  God,  and  one  Lord  ;  for  as  we  are  compelled 
by  the  Christian  verity  to  acknowledge  every  person  by 
himself  to  be  God  and  Lord,  so  are  we  forbidden  by 
the  catholic  religion  to  say  there  be  three  Gods  or  three 
Lords.    This  creed  is  received  as  oecumenical,  or  uni- 
versal, by  the  whole  Christian  church,  and  from  it  is 
derived  all  that  at  this  day  is  known  and  acknowledg- 
ed concerning  God.  Every  one  who  readeth  this  creed 
with  his  eyes  open  may  perceive,  that  a  trinity  of  Gods 
was  the  only  trinity  thought  of  by  those  who  composed 
the  council  of  Nice,  whence  this  creed,  as  a  posthu- 
mous birth,  was  first  introduced  into  the  church.  That  a 
trinity  of  Gods  was  not  only  thought  of  by  the  members 
of  the  Nicene  council, but  that  the  same  trinity  is  still  re- 
ceived throughout  all  Christendom,  is  a  necessary  con- 
sequence of  making  that  creed  the  standard  of  know- 
ledge respecting  God,  to  which  every  one  pays  an  im- 
plicit obedience.    I  appeal  to  every  one,  both  layman 
and  clergyman,  both  learned  masters  and  doctors,  and 
also  consecrated  bishops  and  archbishops,  nay,  even  to 
purple  cardinals,  and  the   Roman  pontiff  himself, 
whether  any  other  trinity  than  a  trinity  of  Gods  be  at 
this  day  received  throughout  Christendom  :  let  eacli 
examine  himself,  and  then  profess  his  sentiments  open- 
ly according  to  the  ideas  of  his  own  mind  ;  for  from 
the  words  of  this  generally  received  doctrine  concern- 
ing God,  it  is  as  clear  and  transparent  to  the  sight,  as 
water  in  a  cup  of  chrystal,  that  there  are  three  persons, 
each  whereof  is  Lord  and  God  ;  and  also,  that  accord- 
ing to  Christian  verity  men  ought  to  confess,  or  ac- 
knowledge, each  person  singly  to  be  God,  and  Lord. 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN   RELIGION.  13 

but  that  religion,  or  the  catholic,  or  christian  faith  for- 
bids to  say,  and  make  mention  of  three  Gods,  and 
three  Lords  ;  and  thus  that  verity,  and  religion,  or 
truth,  and  faith,  are  not  one  and  the  same  thing,  but 
two  different  things  in  a  state  of  contrariety  to  each 
other.  It  is  asserted  indeed  that  there  are  not  three 
Gods,  and  three  Lords,  but  one  God,  and  one  Lord  ; 
but  this  assertion  was  plainly  added  to  obviate  the  cen- 
sures of  mankind,  and  Jo  prevent  their  being  exposed 
to  the  derision  of  the  whole  world  ;  for  who  can  for- 
bear derision  on  hearing  of  three  Gods  ?  And  who  doth 
not  see  a  manifest  contradiction  in  this  palliating  as- 
sertion, that  although  there  are  three  Lords,  and  three 
Gods,  yet  there  are  not  three,  but  one  ?  Whereas,  had 
they  said,  that  divine  essence  belongeth  to  the  father, 
and  to  the  son,  and  to  the  holy  ghost,  and  yet  there 
are  not  three  divine  essences,  but  only  one  individual 
essence,  the  mystery  in  this  case  would  have  been 
easily  explained,  whilst  by  the  father  men  had  under- 
stood the  all-begetting  divinity,  ( divinum  a  quo )  by 
the  son  the  divine  humanity  thence  originating,  and 
by  the  holy  ghost  the  divine-proceeding,  which  three 
are  constituent  of  one  God  ;  or  if  the  divinity  of  the 
father  had  been  considered  as  the  soul  in  man,  the  di- 
vine humanity  as  the  body  of  that  soul,  and  the  holy 
ghost  as  the  operation  proceeding  from  both ;  in  this 
case  three  essences  are  understood  as  belonging  to  one 
and  the  same  person,  and  therefore  as  constituting  to- 
gether one  single  individual  essence. 

The  reason  why  the  idea  of  three  Gods  cannot  be 
extirpated  by  the  oral  confession  of  one  God  is,  be- 
cause that  idea  is  implanted  in  the  memory,  in  the 
early  part  of  life,  and  what  is  implanted  in  the  memo- 
ry is  the  subject  of  all  a  man's  future  thoughts.  For 
the  memory  in  man  is  like  the  ruminatory  stomach  in 
those  birds,  and  beasts,  that  chew  the  cud  ;  in  this 

R 


14 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


stomach  they  store  up  a  supply  of  food,  to  serve  for 
their  future  nourishment,  which  by  turns  they  dis- 
gorge, and  chewing  it  a  second  time  they  swallow  it 
down  into  that  stomach  wherein  the  food  is  digested, 
and  prepared  for  all  the  purposes  of  bodily  nourish- 
ment; the  human  understanding  answers  to  the  latter 
stomach,  as  the  memory  doth  to  the  former.  Every 
one  may  see  that  the  idea  of  three  divine  persons  ex- 
isting from  eternity,  which  is  the  same  as  the  idea  of 
three  Gods,  cannot  be  extirpated  by  an  oral  confession 
of  one  God,  if  he  only  considers  this  circumstance, 
that  it  hath  never  as  yet  been  extirpated,  and  that 
there  are  many  persons  of  note  and  distinction  in  the 
church,  who  are  unwilling  that  it  should  be  extirpated, 
contending  that  three  divine  persons  are  one  God, 
and  obstinately  denying  God  to  be  one  person,  al- 
though they  allow  him  to  be  one  God.  What  man  of 
sense  however  doth  not  think  with  himself,  that  by  the 
word  person,  a  real  person  cannot  be  understood,  but 
only  the  prsedication  of  some  particular  quality,  which 
yet  remaineth  unascertained,  and  because  it  is  unas- 
certained, it  continueth  implanted  in  the  memory  as 
it  was  received  in  the  early  part  of  life,  and  like  the 
root  of  a  tree  in  the  ground,  although  it  be  cut  down, 
yet  it  puts  forth  fresh  shoots  at  a  future  period.  But 
you,  my  friend,  be  advised  not  only  to  cut  down  that 
tree,  but  also  to  extirpate  its  very  roots,  and  then  im- 
plant in  your  garden  such  trees  as  may  yield  good 
fruits  ;  for  this  purpose  take  heed  lest  the  idea  of  three 
Gods  should  abide  in  your  mind,  whilst  your  mouth, 
without  any  idea  to  influence  it,  should  make  confes- 
sion of  one  God  ;  for  in  such  a  case,  what  is  the  un- 
derstanding which  is  above  the  memory,  and  conceiv- 
eth  three  Gods,  and  the  understanding  which  is  below 
the  memory,  and  by  which  the  mouth  confesseth  one 
God,  but  like  an  actor  on  a  stage,  who  can  assume  two 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


1) 


characters,  by  crossing  from  one  side  of  the  stage  to 
the  other,  and  can  assert  one  thing  on  the  one  side, 
and  contradict  it  on  the  other,  and  by  such  altercation 
call  himself  a  wise  man  on  this  side,  and  a  fool  on 
that?  And  what  is  the  consequence  of  such  ambiguity 
of  character,  but  that  whilst  he  stands  in  the  middle, 
and  looketh  towards  each  side,  he  beginneth  to  ima- 
gine that  there  is  nothing  real  in  either,  and  thus  per- 
haps, that  there  is  neither  one  God  nor  three,  and  con- 
sequently no  God  ?  For  this  is  the  true  source  and 
origin  of  the  naturalism  that  so  much  prevaileth  at 
present  throughout  the  world.  No  one  in  heaven  can 
pronounce  such  an  expression  as  a  trinity  of  persons, 
each  whereof  singly  is  God  ;  for  the  heavenly  atmo- 
sphere, which  is  the  medium  for  the  conveyance  and 
propagation  of  angelic  thoughts,  as  our  air  is  of  natu- 
ral sounds,  is  in  opposition  to  such  an  expression.  An 
hypocrite  indeed  can  utter  something  like  it,  but  then 
the  tongue  of  his  voice,  in  the  heavenly  atmosphere, 
soundeth  like  the  gnashing  of  teeth,  or  croaketh  like  a 
raven  that  attempteth  to  imitate  the  note  of  a  nightin- 
gale. I  have  been  informed  also  from  heaven,  that  it 
is  as  impossible  to  extirpate  a  belief,  confirmed  and 
rooted  in  the  mind,  in  favour  of  a  trinity  of  Gods,  by 
an  oral  confession  of  one  God,  as  it  would  be  to  draw 
a  full  grown  tree  through  its  seed,  or  a  man's  whole 
chin  through  a  single  hair  of  his  beard. 

V.  That  a  trinity  of  persons  was  unknown  in  the  apos- 
tolic church,  and  that  the  doctrine  was  first  broach- 
ed by  the  council  of  Nice,  and  thence  received  into 
the  Romish  church,  and  thus  propagated  amongst 
the  reformed  churches. 

By  the  apostolic  church  is  meant,  not  only  the 
church  which  existed  in  various  places,  whilst  the 
apostles  lived,  but  for  two  or  three  ages  after  their  de- 


16 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


cease.  It  was  then  men  first  began  to  pluck  the  door 
of  the  temple  off  its  hinges,  and  rush  like  thieves  and 
robbers  into  the  holy  of  holies  ;  by  the  temple  is  meant 
the  church,  by  the  door  the  Lord  God  the  redeemer, 
and  by  the  holy  of  holies  his  divinity  ;  for  Jesus  saith, 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  entereth  not  by  the 
door  into  the  sheepfold,  but  climbeth  up  some  other 
way,  the  same  is  a  thief  and  a  robber  ;  I  am  the  door, 
by  me  if  any  man  enter  in  he  shall  be  saved.  This  hor- 
rid deed  was  done  by  Alius  and  his  adherents  ;  on 
which  account  a  council  was  assembled  by  Constan- 
tine  the  great,  at  Nice,  a  city  of  Bithynia,  and  it  was 
by  the  members  of  this  council  devised,  concluded, 
and  determined,  with  a  view  to  stop  the  progress  of 
Arius's  damnable  heresy,  that  three  divine  persons, 
father,  son,  and  holy  ghost,  have  existed  from  eterni- 
ty, each  whereof  hath  a  distinct  and  independent  per- 
sonality, existence  and  subsistence  ;  and  farther,  that 
the  second  person,  or  the  son,  descended,  and  assum- 
ed the  humanity,  and  accomplished  the  work  of  re- 
demption, and  that  in  consequence  thereof  his  huma- 
nity was  made  partaker  of  divinity  by  an  hypostatic 
union,  and  that  by  virtue  of  this  union  he  had  a  close 
relationship  with  God  the  father.  From  that  time  an 
incredible  number  of  dreadful  heresies,  respecting 
God,  and  the  person  of  Christ,  began  to  be  propagated 
throughout  the  earth,  whereby  the  head  of  antichrist 
was  exalted,  and  God  divided  into  three  persons,  and 
the  Lord  the  saviour  into  two;  and  thus  the  temple, 
which  the  Lord  had  built  by  his  apostles,  was  destroy- 
ed, and  that  so  effectually,  that  there  was  not  one 
stone  left  on  another  which  was  not  thrown  down,  ac- 
cording to  his  own  words,  Matt.  xxiv.  2.  where  by  the 
temple  is  not  meant  the  temple  at  Jerusalem  only,  but 
the  church  also,  of  whose  consummation,  or  end,  that 
chapter  treateth  throughout.    But  what  else  could  be 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


17 


expected  from  that  council,  and  from  the  others  that 
succeeded  it,  which  divided  the  divinity  in  like  man- 
ner into  three  persons,  and  placed  an  incarnate  God, 
in  subordination  to  them,  on  their  footstool  ?  For  they 
removed  the  head  of  the  church  from  its  body,  in  con- 
sequence of  climbing  up  some  other  icay,  that  is,  they 
passed  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  climbed  up  to  God  the 
father,  as  to  a  distinct  person,  with  only  the  mention 
of  Christ's  merits  in  their  mouths,  as  an  inducement 
for  the  father  to  have  mercy  on  them,  believing  that 
by  this  means  they  should  receive  instantaneous  justi- 
fication with  all  it's  attendant  graces,  as  the  remission 
of  sins,  renovation,  sanctification,  regeneration,  and 
salvation,  and  all  this  without  any  medium  of  recep- 
tion on  the  part  of  man. 

That  the  apostolic  church  had  no  idea  of  a  trinity 
of  persons,  or  of  three  persons  existing  from  eternity, 
is  evident  from  the  creed  of  that  church,  which  is 
called  the  apostles'  creed,  where  it  is  said,  I  be- 
lieve in  God  the  father  almighty,  maker  of  heaven  and 
earth  ;  and  in  Jesus  Christ  his  only  son  our  Lord,  who 
was  conceived  by  the  holy  ghost,  born  of  the  virgin 
Mary,  &c.  and  J  believe  in  the  holy  ghost.  Here  is 
no  mention  made  of  any  son  born  from  eternity,  but 
of  a  son  conceived  by  the  holy  ghost,  and  born  of  the 
virgin  Mary;  the  composers  of  that  creed  having  learnt 
from  the  apostles,-  that  Jesus  Christ  was  the  true  God, 
1  John  v.  21.  and  that  in  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness 
of  the  godhead  bodily.  Coloss.  ii.  9,  and  that  the  apos- 
tles preached  faith  in  him,  Acts  xx.  21,  and  that  He 
hath  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth,  Matt,  xxv  iii.  18. 

What  dependence  is  to  be  placed  on  councils,  whilst 
they  donotimmcdiatclyapproach  the  God  of  the  church? 
Is  not  the  church  the  Lord's  body,  and  he  its  head  ? 
And  what  is  a  body  without  a  head,  or  a  body  on 
-which  are  set  three  heads,  each  forming  purposes, 
r  2 


18 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


and  making  decrees?  Doth  not  illumination,  which 
is  of  a  spiritual  nature,  as  it  descendeth  from  the 
Lord  alone,  who  is  the  God  of  heaven  and  of  the 
church,  and  also  the  God  of  the  word,  become  in  such 
a  case  more  and  more  natural,  and  at  last  sensual  ? 
And  when  this  happens,  not  a  single  genuine  theolo- 
gical truth  preserveth  its  true  fragrance  in  its  internal 
form,  but  is  instantly  cast  out  from  the  comprehension 
of  the  rational  understanding,  and  dispersed  into  the 
air  like  chaff  by  the  winnower's  fan  ;  in  which  case 
fallacies  enter,  and  take  place  of  truths,  and  darkness 
reigneth  instead  of  light ;  and  then  men  stand  as  in  a 
dark  cave,  with  spectacles  before  their  eyes,  and  a 
candle  in  their  hands,  and  close  their  eyelids  against 
all  spiritual  truths  which  are  in  the  light  of  heaven, 
but  open  them  for  the  reception  of  sensual  truths, 
which  are  in  the  false  light  of  the  bodily  senses ;  and 
afterwards  when  they  hear  the  word  read  to  them, 
their  minds  in  like  manner  are  asleep  to  the  percep- 
tion of  truths,  and  awake  to  the  perception  of  falses, 
and  become  like  the  beast  that  rose  out  of  the  sea, 
which  had  a  mouth  like  a  lion,  and  a  body  like  a  leo- 
pard, and  feet  like  a  bear,  Rev.  xiii.  2.  It  is  said  in 
heaven,  that  at  the  conclusion  of  the  council  at  Nice, 
there  was  a  fulfilling  of  these  prophecies  which  the 
Lord  declared  to  his  disciples,  The  sun  shall  be  dark- 
ened, and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the 
stars  shall  fall  from  heaven,  and  the  powers  of  the 
heavens  shall  be  shaken,  Matt.  xxiv.  29,  and  in  truth, 
the  apostolic  church  was  like  a  new  star  appearing 
amongst  the  heavenly  constellations,  but  after  the  se- 
cond council  of  Nice  it  became  like  the  same  star, 
when  it  is  darkened,  and  disappeared,  as  hath  some- 
times also  been  the  case  in  the  natural  world  according 
to  the  observations  of  astronomers.  It  is  written  in  the 
word  that  Jehovah  God  dwelleth  in  the  light  which 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


19 


no  man  can  approach  :  who  then  could  approach  him. 
unless  he  had  come  to  dwell  in  approachable  light, 
that  is  unless  he  had  descended,  and  assumed  the  hu- 
manity, and  in  this  made  himself  the  light  of  the 
world  ?  John  i.  9.  Chap.  xii.  46.  Who  cannot  see, 
that  to  approach  Jehovah  the  father,  in  his  light,  is  as 
impossible,  as  to  take  the  wings  of  the  morning,  and  fly- 
thereby  to  the  sun  ?  or  to  feed  on  the  sun's  rays  in- 
stead of  elementary  food  ?  or  for  a  bird  to  fly  in 
tether,  and  a  stag  to  run  in  air  ? 

VI.  That  the  A"ice7ie  and  Jlthanasian  doctrine  con- 
cerning a  trinity  have  together  given  birth  to  a 
faith,  which  hath  entirely  overturned  the  Christian 
church. 

That  both  the  Nicene  and  Athanasian  doctrine  con- 
cerning the  trinity,  asserteth  a  trinity  of  Gods  was 
shewn  above,  No.  172.  Hence  sprang  the  faith  of  the 
present  church,  which  is  directed  towards  God  the 
father,  God  the  son,  and  God  the  holy  ghost;  towards 
God  the  father,  as  he  that  imputeth  the  righteousness 
of  the  saviour  his  son,  and  ascribeth  it  to  man ;  to- 
ward- God  the  son,  as  he  that  intercedeth,  and  is  the 
mediator  of  a  covenant;  and  towards  God  the  holy 
ghost,  as  he  who  actually  inscribeth  on  the  heart  the 
imputed  righteousness  of  the  son,  and  secureth  it  with 
the  seal  of  justification,  sanctification,  and  regenera- 
tion ;  this  is  the  faith  of  the  present  church,  which 
alone  is  sufficient  to  prove,  that  a  trinity  of  Gods  is 
acknowledged  and  worshipped.  From  the  faith  of 
every  particular  church,  not  only  the  whole  of  its  wor- 
ship, but  also  of  its  doctrine  is  derived  ;  wherefore  it 
may  truly  be  said,  that  as  its  faith  is,  so  is  its  doc- 
trine ;  hence  it  follows  that  this  faith,  inasmuch  as  it 
is  directed  towards  three  Gods,  hath  overturned  all 
things  belonging  to  the  church,  for  faith  may  be  con- 


20 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


sidered  as  a  principal,  and  doctrinals  as  its  deriva- 
tives, and  derivatives  take  their  essence  from  their 
principal.  And  if  any  one  be  disposed  to  examine  the 
particulars  of  doctrine  in  relation  to  God,  the  person 
of  Christ,  charity,  repentance,  free-will,  election,  the 
use  of  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  sup- 
per, he  will  see  clearly  that  a  trinity  of  Gods  enttreth 
into  every  particular,  and  although  it  may  not  actually 
appear  therein,  yet  that  is  the  fountain  from  whence 
it  floweth.  But  since  it  is  not  convenient  in  this  place 
to  enter  upon  such  an  examination,  and  yet  for  the 
sake  of  opening  men's  eyes,  it  might  be  expedient  to 
do  so,  therefore  we  shall  give  it  in  an  appendix  to  this 
work.  The  faith  of  the  church,  in  relation  to  God,  is 
like  the  soul  which  animateth  the  body,  and  points  of 
doctrine  are  like  the  members  of  that  body  ;  faith  to- 
wards God  also  is  like  a  queen,  and  points  of  doctrine 
are  like  the  officers  and  servants  that  attend  her  pa- 
lace, and  as  such  officers  and  servants  are  in  subjec- 
tion to,  and  dependent  on  the  queen's  authority,  so  are 
points  of  doctrine  on  the  injunctions  of  faith.  From 
the  nature  of  this  faith  too  may  be  seen,  in  what  man- 
ner the  word,  or  holy  scripture,  is  understood  in  the 
church  ;  for  faith  bendeth  and  draweth  towards  itself, 
with  all  its  might,  whatsoever  it  can  ;  so  that  if  it  be  a 
false  faith,  it  playeth  the  harlot  with  every  truth  that 
the  word  contains,  and  putteth  a  false  interpretation 
upon  it,  and  thereby  falsifieth  it ;  but  if  it  be  a  true 
faith,  then  the  whole  word  is  on  its  side,  and  the  God 
of  the  word,  who  is  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour,  infuseth 
light,  and  giveth  the  testimony  of  his  divine  assent, 
with  a  continual  increase  of  wisdom  to  the  true  believ- 
er. That  the  present  faith  of  the  church,  which  in  its 
internal  form  is  a  faith  in  three  Gods,  but  in  its  exter- 
nal form  in  one  God,  hath  extinguished  the  light  of  the 
word,  and  removed  the  Lord  from  his  church,  and 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


21 


thus  turned  its  morning  into  midnight  darkness,  will 
be  seen  also  in  the  appendix.  This  was  effected  by 
the  heretics  who  lived  before  the  council  of  Nice,  and 
afterwards  by  those  who  succeeded  that  council,  and 
derived  their  heretical  opinions  from  it.  But  what  de- 
pendence, as  we  said,  is  to  be  placed  on  councilsr 
which  do  not  enter  by  the  door  into  the  sheepfold,  but 
climb  up  some  other  w  ay,  according  to  the  words 
of  the  Lord  in  John,  Chap.  x.  1,  9  ?  Their  delibera- 
tions may  be  compared  with  the  steps  of  a  blind  man 
walking  in  the  day,  or  of  a  man  who  hath  good  eyes 
walking  in  the  night,  neither  of  which  can  see  the  pit, 
before  he  falls  headlong  into  it.  Have  not  there  been 
councils,  for  instance,  which  have  established  the 
pope's  vicarship,  the  canonization  of  the  dead,  the  in- 
vocation of  saints,  the  worship  of  their  images,  the  au- 
thority of  indulgencies,  and  the  division  of  the  cucha- 
rist,  with  many  other  things  of  a  similar  nature  ?  And 
what  dependence  then  Is  to  be  placed  on  such  coun- 
cils ?  Hath  there  not  also  been  a  council  which  hath 
established  the  horrid  doctrine  of  predestination,  and 
hung  it  up  before  the  doors  of  the  temple  as  the  palla- 
dium of  religion  ?  What  dependence  then  is  to  be  pla- 
ced on  such  a  council  ?  But  do  you,  my  friend,  go  to 
the  God  of  the  Word,  and  thereby  to  the  word  itself, 
and  enter  by  the  door  into  the  sheepfold,  and  you  will 
be  enlightened  ;  and  then  you  will  see,  as  from  a  high 
mountain,  not  only  the  errors  of  many  others,  but  also 
your  own  former  bewildered  wanderings  in  the  dark 
w  ood  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain. 

The  faith  of  every  church  is  as  the  seed  from  which 
all  its  doctrines  spring,  and  may  be  compared  to  the 
seed  of  a  tree  from  which  all  its  parts,  even  to  the 
fruit,  successively  derive  their  birth  ;  and  also  to  the 
human  seed  from  which  are  produced  children,  and 
families  to  many  generations  ;  w  herefore  when  w  e  are 


22 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


acquainted  with  the  primary  faith  of  any  church,  which 
by  the  reason  of  its  predominancy  is  called  saving 
faith,  we  may  know  from  thence,  the  state  and  quali- 
ty of  that  church.  This  may  be  illustrated  by  the  fol- 
lowing example ;  suppose  it  to  be  a  predominant  faith 
that  nature  is  the  creator  of  the  universe ;  the  conse- 
quence of  such  a  faith  is  a  belief  that  the  universe  is 
what  is  generally  called  God  ;  that  nature  is  the  es- 
sence ;  that  sether  is  the  supreme  God,  whom  the  an- 
cients called  Jupiter  ;  that  air  is  a  goodness,  whom  the 
ancients  called  Juno,  and  made  the  wife  of  Jupiter; 
that  the  ocean  is  an  inferior  deity,  who  according  to 
the  ancients  is  named  Neptune;  and  since  the  divini- 
ty of  nature  extendeth  even  to  the  centre  of  the  earth, 
that  there  also  is  a  God  who,  in  conformity  to  the  an- 
cients, may  be  called  Pluto;  that  the  sun  is  the  palace 
of  all  the  Gods,  wherein  they  assemble  when  Jupiter 
calleth  a  council ;  and  moreover  that  fire  is  life  issuing 
from  God  ;  and  thus  that  birds  fly  in  God,  beasts  walk 
in  God,  and  fishes  swim  in  God  ;  and  further  that 
thoughts  are  only  different  modifications  of  sether,  as 
expressions  of  thought  are  only  modulations  of  air; 
and  that  love-affections  are  mere  occasional  changes 
of  state,  owing  to  the  influx  of  the  sun's  rays  ;  and  with 
respect  to  a  life  after  death,  and  a  heaven  and  hell, 
that  these  things  are  mere  fictions,  invented  by  the 
clergy  with  a  view  to  aggrandize  their  own  honour 
and  wealth,  but  that  notwithstanding  their  being  fic- 
tions, they  are  still  useful,  and  ought  not  to  be  public- 
ly despised,  inasmuch  as  they  may  be  serviceable  to 
keep  the  minds  of  the  vulgar  under  the  yoke  of  obedi- 
ence to  the  civil  magistrate ;  that  those  however,  who 
are  caught  with  the  bait  of  religion,  are  recluse  men, 
whose  thoughts  are  mere  phantasms,  whose  actions  are 
ridiculous,  and  who,  living  in  servile  subjection  to 
priests,  believe  what  they  do  not  see,  and  see  what  is 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


28 


above  the  sphere  of  their  comprehension.  These,  and 
manv  other  such  consequent  notions,  are  contained  in 
the  predominant  faith,  that  nature  is  the  creator  of  the 
universe,  and  they  issue  from  it,  as  soon  as  ever  it  is 
opened  to  give  them  vent.  This  example  then  may 
serve  to  shew,  that  in  the  faith  of  the  present  church, 
which  in  its  internal  form  is  directed  towards  three 
Gods,  but  in  its  external  towards  one,  there  are  con- 
tained legions  of  falsities,  ready  to  burst  into  birth, 
like  so  many  young  spiders  from  the  womb  of  a  single 
mother.  How  plain  must  this  appear  to  those  whose 
minds  have  acquired  true  rationality  by  light  from  the 
Lord  !  but  how  dark  and  unintelligible  to  those,  who 
have  barred  up  the  door  to  that  faith,  and  its  conse- 
quences, by  a  persuasion  that  it  is  not  allowable  for 
reason  to  look  into  its  mysteries  ! 

VII.  That  hence  is  come  that  abomination  of  desola- 
tion, and  that  affliction,  such  as  was  not  in  all  the 
icorld,  neither  shall  be,  which  the  Lord  hath  foretold 
in  Daniel,  and  the  Evangelists,  and  the  Revelation. 

It  is  written  in  Daniel,  And  for  the  overspreading 
of  abominations  he  shall  make  it  desolate,  even  until 
the  consummation,  and  that  determined  shall  be  poured 
upon  the  desolate,  Dan.  ix.  27.  In  Matthew  the 
Evangelist  the  Lord  saith,  Many  false  prophets  shall 
arise,  and  shall  deceive  many  ;  when  therefore  ye  shall 
see  the  abomination  of  desolation  spoken  of  by  Daniel 
the  prophet  stand  in  the  holy  place,  whoso  readeth  let 
him  understand,  Matt.  xxiv.  11,  15,  and  afterwards  in 
the  same  chapter,  Then  shall  be  great  tribulation,  such 
as  was  not  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  time, 
no,  7ior  ever  shall  be,  ver.  21.  This  affliction  and  abo- 
mination are  spoken  of  in  seven  chapters  of  the  Reve- 
lation, and  are  signified  by  the  black  horse,  and  the 
pale  horse,  coming  out  of  the  book  whose  seals  the  lamh 


24 


KXTR  ACTS  FROM  THE 


opened,  Chap.  vi.  5  to  8.  Also  by  the  beast  rising  out 
of  the  bottomless  pit,  which  made  war  with  the  two 
witnesses  and  slew  them,  Chap.  xi.  7,  and  likewise  by 
the  dragon  which  stood  before  the  woman  that  was 
about  to  be  delivered,  to  devour  her  child,  and  pursued 
her  into  the  wilderness,  and  there  cast  out  from  his 
mouth  water  as  a  flood  after  her,  that  he  might  cause 
her  to  be  carried  away  of  the  flood,  Chap.  xii.  and 
likewise  by  the  beasts  of  the  dragon,  one  rising  out  of 
the  sea,  and  another  rising  out  of  the  earth,  Chap.  xiii. 
Also  by  the  three  spirits  like  frogs  which  came  forth 
from  the  mouth  of  the  dragon,  from  the  mouth  of  the 
beast,  and  from  the  mouth  of  the  false  prophet,  Chap, 
xvi.  13,  and  farther  by  this,  that  after  the  seven  angels 
had  poured  out  the  vials  of  the  wrath  of  God,  in 
which  were  the  seven  last  plagues,  upon  the  earth,  upon 
the  sea,  upon  the  fountains  and  rivers,  upon  the  sun, 
upon  the  throne  of  the  beast,  upon  the  river  Euphrates, 
and  lastly  upon  the  air,  there  was  a  great  earthquake, 
such  as  was  not  since  inert  were  upon  the  earth,  Chap, 
xvi.  An  earthquake  signifieth  the  overthrow  of  the 
church,  which  is  effected  by  falses  and  the  falsifications 
of  truth,  and  which  is  signified  also  by  the  great  tribu- 
lation such  as  was  not  from  the  beginning  of  the  world, 
Matt.  xxiv.  21.  The  same  is  understood  also  by  these 
words,  And  the  angel  thrust  in  his  sickle  into  the  earth, 
and  gathered  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  cast  it  into  the 
great  ivine-press  of  the  wrath  of  God,  and  the  wine- 
press was  trodden  without  the  city,  and  blood  came  out 
of  the  wine-press  even  to  the  horses'  bridles,  by  the 
space  of  a  thousand  and  six  hundred  furlongs,  Rev. 
xiv.  19,  20,  where  blood  signifieth  truth  falsified  ;  not 
to  mention  other  passages  in  those  seven  chapters. 

In  the  Evangelists,  Matt,  xxiv,  Mark  xiii,  and  Luke 
xxi,  are  described  the  successive  declensions  and  cor- 
ruptions of  the  Christian  church  ;  and  in  those  chap- 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


25 


teis  by  great  tribulation,  such  as  was  not  since  the 
beginning  of  the  world,  neither  shall  be,  is  signified,  as 
in  other  passages  throughout  the  word,  the  infestation 
of  truth  by  falses,  to  such  a  degree,  that  not  a  single 
truth  remaineth  which  is  not  falsified,  and  brought  to 
its  consummation  ;  this  is  understood  also  by  the  abo- 
mination of  desolation  in  the  same  passages,  and  also 
by  the  overspreading  of  desolation,  and  by  the  con- 
summation in  Daniel,  and  in  the  Revelation,  by  the 
circumstances  described  above.  All  this  was  a  conse- 
quence of  men's  not  acknowledging  the  unity  of  God 
in  trinity,  and  his  trinity  in  unity,  in  one  person,  but 
in  three,  and  thence  founding  a  church  on  the  idea  of 
three  Gods  in  the  mind,  and  the  confession  of  one  God 
with  the  lips,  whereby  they  have  separated  themselves 
from  the  Lord,  and  that  to  sucli  a  degree,  that  they 
have  no  idea  left  of  the  divinity  in  his  human  nature, 
when  nevertheless  he  is  God  the  Father  in  the  Huma- 
nity, on  which  account  he  is  called  the  everlasting 
father,  Isaiah  ix.  5,  and  saith  to  Philip,  He  that  see- 
eth  me  seeth  the  father,  John  xiv.  7,  9. 

But  it  will  be  asked,  what  is  the  source  or  fountain, 
from  whence  such  abomination  of  desolation  as  is  de- 
scribed in  Daniel,  Chap.  ix.  27,  and  such  tribulation 
as  never  was,  nor  shall  be,  Matt.  xxiv.  1,  2,  hath 
sprung  ?  I  answer,  The  faith  which  universally  prevails 
throughout  the  Christian  world,  with  its  influx,  opera- 
tion, and  imputation,  according  to  traditions.  It  is  a 
wonderful  thing,  that  the  doctrine  of  justification  by 
this  faith  alone,  although  it  be  no  faith,  but  a  mere 
chimera,  is  received  in  all  Christian  churches  as  the 
main-spring  of  divinity,  that  is,  is  taught  by  the  clergy 
as  the  first  and  ruling  doctrine  of  true  theology.  It  is 
this  faith  which  all  young  students  in  divinity  eagerly 
learn,  and  imbibe  in  the  universities,  and  which  after- 
wards, as  if  under  the  influence  of  heavenly  wisdom, 
s 


•2b 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


they  teach  in  their  churches,  publish  in  their  writings, 
and  make  the  ground  of  all  the  literary  fame  and  re- 
putation that  they  ever  hope  to  acquire,  as  it  is  the 
way  to  all  the  rewards,  donatives  and  preferments  that 
they  can  ever  expect  to  be  presented  with  ;  and  this, 
notwithstanding  that  in  consequence  of  such  faith 
alone,  at  this  day,  the  sun  is  darkened,  the  moon  doth 
not  give  her  light,  the  stars  are  fallen  from  heaven,  and 
the  powers  of  the  heavens  are  shaken,  according  to  the 
words  of  the  Lord's  prophecy  in  Matthew,  Chap.  xxiv. 
29.  That  the  doctrine  of  this  faith  hath  now  blinded 
men's  minds  to  such  a  degree,  that  they  are  unwilling, 
and  therefore  seemingly  unable,  to  see  any  divine 
truth  interiorly,  either  in  the  light  of  the  sun,  or  in  the 
light  of  the  moon,  but  only  exteriorly,  rudely,  and  su- 
perficially, as  by  the  light  of  a  fire,  hath  been  proved 
to  me  by  the  clearest  evidence ;  so  that  I  can  venture 
to  affirm,  that  should  the  divine  truths  which  relate  to 
the  conjunction  of  charity  and  faith,  to  heaven  and 
hell,  to  the  Lord,  to  a  life  after  death,  and  to  eternal 
happiness,  be  dropped  down  from  heaven,  written  in 
letters  of  silver,  they  would  be  rejected,  as  not  worth 
the  reading,  by  those  that  maintain  the  doctrine  of 
justification,  and  sanctification,  by  faith  alone  ;  where- 
as on  the  other  hand  should  a  paper  containing  the 
doctrines  of  justification  by  faith  alone,  be  sent  from 
hell,  this  they  would  receive,  embrace,  and  carry  home 
with  them  in  their  bosoms. 

VIII.  Hence  too  it  is  come  to  pass,  that  unless  a 
new  heaven,  and  a  new  church  be  established  by  the 
Lord,  no  flesh  can  be  saved. 

It  is  written  in  Matthew,  Then  shall  be  great  tribu- 
lation, such  as  was  not  from  the  beginning-  of  the 
world  unto  this  time,  neither  shall  be  ;  and  except  those 
duys  shall  be  shortened,  no  flesh  could  be  saved,  Chap. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN    RELIGION.  27 

xxiv.  21,22.  The  Lord,  in  this  chapter,  is  speaking 
of  the  consummation  of  the  age,  by  which  is  signified 
the  end  of  the  present  church  ;  wherefore  by  shorten- 
ing those  davs  is  signified  to  put  a  period  to  this 
church,  and  to  lay  the  foundation  of  a  new  one.  Who 
doth  not  know  that  except  the  Lord  had  come  into  the 
world,  and  accomplished  the  work  of  redemption,  no 
flesh  could  have  been  saved  ?  And  to  accomplish  the 
work  of  redemption  is  to  establish  a  new  heaven,  and 
a  new  church.  That  the  Lord  will  come  again  into 
the  world,  lie  himself  hath  prophetically  declared  in 
the  Evangelists,  Matt.  xxiv.  30,  SI.  Mark  xiii.  26. 
Lithe  xii.  40  Chap.  xxi.  27,  and  in  the  Revelation, 
particularly  in  the  last  chapter.  That  he  is  also  at 
this  day  accomplishing  a  redemption,  by  establishing 
a  new  heaven,  and  laying  the  foundation  of  a  new 
church,  with  a  view  to  make  salvation  possible  to  man- 
kind, was  shewn  above  in  the  lemma  concerning  re- 
demption. The  great  arcanum  respecting  the  impos- 
sibility of  any  flesh  being  saved,  except  a  new  church 
be  founded  by  the  Lord,  is  this,  that  as  long  as  the 
dragon,  with  his  diabolical  crew,  continueth  in  the 
world  of  spirits,  into  which  he  was  cast,  so  long  it  is 
impossible  for  any  divine  truth,  united  with  divine 
good,  to  pass  through  unto  men  on  earth,  but  it  is 
either  perverted,  or  falsified,  or  destroyed  ;  this  is 
what  is  signified  in  the  Revelation  by  these  words, 
The  dragon  was  cast  down  upon  the  earth,  and  his 
angels  were  cast  out  with  him  ;  wo  to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  earth,  and  of  the  sea  !  for  the  devil  is  come  down 
unto  you,  having  great  wrath,  Rev.  Chap.  xii.  9,  12, 
13.  But  when  the  dragon  was  cast  into  hell,  Chap, 
xx.  10,  then  John  saw  the  new  heaven,  and  new  earth, 
and  the  new  Jerusalem  descending  from  God  out  of 
heaven,  Chap.  xxi.  1,2.    By  the  dragon  are  signified 


28 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


all  those  who  are  influenced  by  the  faith  of  the  present 
church. 

I  have  at  times  conversed  in  the  spiritual  world  with 
those  who  maintain  the  doctrine  of  justification  by  faith 
alone,  and  have  told  them,  that  their  doctrine  is  errone- 
ous, and  absurd,  and  that  it  occasioneth  a  false  security, 
blindness,  sleep,  and  darkness,  with  respect  to  spiritual 
things,  and  thereby  bringeth  death  to  the  soul ;  exhorting 
them  at  the  same  time  to  desist  from  it;  but  the  answer 
I  have  commonly  received  was,  How  desist  ?  Doth  not 
the  superior  excellence  of  clerical  erudition  over  that 
of  the  laity  depend  solely  on  this  doctrine  ?  Then  I 
represented  to  them  that,  according  to  this  way  of  rea- 
soning, they  do  not  so  much  regard  the  salvation  of 
§ouls  as  the  aggrandizement  of  their  own  reputation, 
and  that  in  consequence  of  applying  the  truths  of  the 
word  to  their  own  false  principles,  and  thereby  adul- 
terating them,  they  are  angels  of  the  bottomless  pit, 
called  Abaddons  and  Apollyons,  Rev.  ix.  11,  by 
which  are  signified  the  destroyers  of  the  church  by  the 
total  falsification  of  the  word  ;  but  they  replied,  What 
is  that  to  the  purpose  ?  By  our  knowledge  of  the  mys- 
teries of  this  faith  we  are  oracles,  and  from  this  faith, 
as  from  an  oracular  temple,  we  give  our  answers  to  all 
that  ask  us,  wherefore  we  are  not  Apollyons,  but 
Apollos;  to  this  I  replied  with  some  warmth  of  in- 
dignation, If  ye  are  Apollos,  ye  are  also  Leviathans, 
the  chief  amongst  you  crooked  Leviathans,  and  the 
inferior  amongst  you  oblong  Leviathans,  whom  God 
will  visit  with  his  strong  and  great  sword,  Tsaiah  xxvii. 
1  ;  but  at  this  they  smiled,  and  departed. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


29 


[X.  That  a  trinity  of  persons,  each  whereof  singly 
and  by  himself  is  God,  according  to  the  Jlthanasian 
creed,  hath  given  birth  to  many  absurd  and  hetero- 
geneous notions  about  God,  which  are  merely  fan- 
ciful, and  abortive. 

From  the  doctrine  of  three  divine  persons  existing 
from  eternity,  which  is  the  chief  of  all  doctrines  that 
are  taught  in  Christian  churches,  have  arisen  many 
unbecoming  notions  concerning  God,  unworthy  of  the 
Christian  world,  which  ought  to  be,  and  which  might 
be,  a  bright  luminary  to  all  peuple  and  nations,  in  the 
four  quarters  of  the  globe,  respecting  God,  and  his 
unity.  All  who  are  out  of  the  pale  of  the  Christian 
church,  whether  they  be  Mahometans,  or  Jews,  or 
Gentiles,  or  whatsoever  religion  they  profess,  have 
conceived  an  aversion  to  Christianity  singly  on  this 
account,  viz.  that  Christians  believe  in  three  Gods: 
this  the  missionaries,  sent  abroad  to  propagate  Chris- 
tianity, are  aware  of,  and  therefore  they  are  particu- 
larly cautious  how  they  make  mention  of  a  trinity  of 
persons,  according  to  the  Nicene  and  Athanasian  doc- 
trine, because  they  know,  in  such  a  case,  that  then- 
converts  would  leave  them,  and  laugh  them  to  scorn, 
The  absurd,  ludicrous,  and  frivolous  ideas  which  have 
arisen  from  the  doctrine  of  three  divine  persons  exist- 
ing from  eternity,  and  which  do  still  arise  in  every 
one  that  continueth  in  a  belief  of  the  words  of  that 
doctrine,  are  these,  that  God  the  father  sitteth  above 
on  a  high  throne,  with  the  son  at  his  right  hand,  and 
the  holy  ghost  before  them,  attending  to  what  they  say, 
who  instantly,  as  he  is  ordered,  runneth  through  the 
whole  world,  and  according  to  their  determination 
dispenseth  the  gifts  of  justification,  and  inscribeth 
them  in  the  hearts  of  men,  and  thus  maketh  them  sons 
of  grace,  and  the  elect,  who  were  before  children  of 
s  2 


30 


EXTIIACTS   FROM  THE 


wrath  and  the  reprobate.  I  appeal  to  the  learned, 
both  clergy  and  laity,  whether  they  entertain  in  their 
minds  any  other  conception  of  the  trinity  but  this,  in- 
asmuch as  the  doctrine  they  embrace  occasioneth  a 
spontaneous  influx  of  this  conception,  as  may  be  seen 
in  the  Memorable  Relation  above,  No.  16.  It  is  at- 
tended also  with  a  curiosity  of  conjecture,  what  was 
the  subject  of  their  conversation  together  before  the 
world  was  created  ;  whether  they  discoursed  about  the 
creation  intended,  or  about  those  that  were  to  be  pre- 
destinated, and  justified,  according  to  the  opinion  of 
the  Supralapsarians,  or  about  the  work  of  redemption  ; 
and  also,  what  is  the  subject  of  their  conversation  since 
the  world  was  made  ;*  what  the  father  saith,  by  virtue 
of  his  authority,  and  power  of  imputation,  and  what 
the  son  saith,  by  virtue  of  his  power  of  mediation  ; 
supposing  thus,  that  imputation,  which  is  election,  is  a 
consequence  of  the  son  interceding  in  mercy  for  all 
mankind  in  general,  and  for  individuals  in  particular; 
and  that  the  father  is  moved  to  shew  favour  out  of  love 
towards  his  son,  and  by  reason  of  the  sufferings  which 
he  endured  on  the  cross.  But  who  cannot  see  that  all 
such  notions  are  founded  in  a  delirium  of  the  mind 
concerning  God  ?  And  yet  these  are  the  notions  which 
are  held  to  be  most  holy  in  every  Christian  church, 
which  however  are  only  to  be  kissed  with  the  lips,  but 
not  to  be  examined  with  the  eye  of  the  understanding, 
because  being  supposed  to  be  above  the  sphere  and 
comprehension  of  reason,  if  they  should  be  raised  up 
from  the  memory  into  the  higher  regions  of  the  under- 

•  That  such  is  really  the  case,  may  be  seen  most  clearly  from 
many  publications  of  this  age,  and  particularly  Milton's  Para- 
dise Lost,  (a  book  with  which  most  people  are  acquainted)  in 
which  frequent  discourses  between  the  father  and  the  son,  who 
are  there  represented  as  two  single  persons,  are  to  be  met  with. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


31 


standing,  they  would  occasion  madness.  Nevertheless 
the  idea  of  three  Gods  is  not  thereby  removed,  but  only 
a  heavy  and  stupid  faith  begotten,  under  the  influence 
whereof  men  think  of  God,  like  people  fast  asleep  in  a 
dream,  or  like  those  that  walk  in  midnight  darkness, 
or  as  persons  born  blind,  who  cannot  see  even  at 
noon-day. 

That  a  trinity  of  Gods  abideth  in  the  minds  of 
Christians,  though  they  are  ashamed  to  acknowledge 
it,  is  very  evident  from  the  ingenuity  of  many  in  de- 
monstrating three  are  one,  and  one  three,  by  geome- 
trical and  stereometrical  figures,  and  various  applica- 
tions of  arithmetic  and  physics  to  the  same  purpose  ; 
and  also  by  the  foldings  of  a  piece  of  cloth  or  paper  ; 
thus  they  trifle  with  the  divine  trinity,  like  so  many 
diviners  or  calculators  of  nativities.  This  sort  of  di- 
vination or  calculation  may  be  compared  with  the  sight 
of  the  eye,  when  people  are  in  a  fever,  who  looking  at 
any  single  object,  as  a  man,  a  table,  or  a  candle,  fancy 
it  to  be  three,  and  on  the  other  hand  fancy  three  to  be 
one.  It  may  be  compared  also  with  the  ludicrous  re- 
presentation sometimes  exhibited  with  a  piece  of  soft 
wax,  which  a  man  takes  in  his  fingers,  and  moulds  into 
various  forms,  at  one  time  into  a  triangular  form,  to 
represent  the  trinity,  at  another  time  into  a  spherical 
form,  to  represent  the  unity,  asserting  it  still  to  be  one 
and  the  same  substance.  Thus  do  men  trifle  with  the 
divine  trinity,  which  nevertheless,  in  its  undivided 
state,  is  like  a  pearl  of  the  highest  price,  but,  when 
divided  into  persons,  is  like  a  pearl  divided  into  three 
parts,  which,  it  is  well  J|nown,  in  such  a  case,  entirely 
loseth  its  value. 


V2 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


To  the-  above  I  shall  add  the  following  Memorable 
Relations.*  First.  In  the  spiritual  world  there 
are  climates,  and  zones,  as  well  as  in  the  natural  world, 
there  being  nothing  in  the  latter  world,  but  what  cx- 

*lt  may  be  necessary  here  to  remark,  For  the  information  and 
satisfaction  of  sucli  as  may  not  be  already  previously  acquainted 
with  our  author's  works,  wherein  lie  treats  more  particularly  on 
the  nature  of  these  his  spiritual  communications,  that  all  things 
which  exist  in  the  spiritual  world  have  their  origin  and  exist- 
ence from  the  affections  and  thoughts  of  the  inhabitants  there, 
and  thus  the  things  that  there  exist,  are  to  be  considered  as 
strictly  in  agreement  with,  or  representative  of  the  state  of  their 
minds,  according  to  the  subjects  meditated  upon,  or  conversed 
about.  The  appearances  therefore  which  our  author  here  de- 
scribes, are  all  to  be  considered  in  that  light,  and  that  they  are 
nothing  more  than  the  mere  representatives  of  the  states  of  mind 
of  the  spirits  and  angels  with  whom  he  was  at  those  times  in 
spiritual  association,  and  which  representatives,  or  appearances, 
can  only  be  understood  according  to  the  science  of  correspond- 
ences, as  explained  by  our  author  throughout  his  various  theo- 
logical writings. 

It  is  on  this  same  principle  of  correspondence  between  things 
represented,  and  the  things  themselves,  that  we  are  to  under- 
stand the  wonderful  things  seen  by  the  apostle  John,  as  descri- 
bed in  the  Revelations,  and  so  of  all  that  was  seen  by  prophets 
and  others,  as  related  in  the  Sacred  Scripture. 

It  is  further  to  be  observed,  that  the  particular  part  of  the 
spiritual  world  wherein  our  author  beheld  the  scenes  he  here 
describes,  was  what  he  distinguishes  by  the  name  of  the  world 
of  spirits,  that  is,  an  intermediate  state  between  heaven  and  hell, 
into  which  the  spirit  of  man  first  enters,  on  leaving  the  body,  and 
there  continues  for  a  shorter  or  longer  period,  until  it  is  pre- 
pared for  its  final  place  of  destination,  either  in  heaven  or  hell, 
according  to  the  kind  of  life,  whether  good  or  evil,  which  the 
person  has  lived  in  the  body,  but  as  to  the  particular  purpose 
of  the  spirit  being  detained  for  a  time  in  this  intermediate  state, 
the  reader  is  referred  to  the  writings  themselves,  for  further  in- 
formation, which,  to  give  a  full  and  satisfactory  description  of 
here,  would  much  exceed  the  limits  of  the  present  undertaking. 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


lsteth  also  in  the  former,  although  the  origin  of  their 
existence  is  different.  In  the  natural  world  the  vari- 
eties of  climates  depend  on  the  sun's  distances  from 
the  equator,  but  in  the  spiritual  world  they  depend  on 
the  distances  of  the  affections  of  the  will,  and  the 
thoughts  of  the  understanding,  from  a  true  love,  and  a 
true  faith ;  for  all  things  in  the  spiritual  world  exist 
according  to  such  correspondence.  In  the  frigid  zones, 
in  the  spiritual  world,  there  are  the  same  appearances 
as  in  the  frigid  zones  in  the  natural  world  ;  the  ground 
seems  frozen  hard  as  stone,  the  water  seems  covered 
with  ice,  and  the  whole  face  of  the  country  appears 
white  with  snow.  These  cold  regions  are  the  resort 
and  habitation  of  those,  who,  during  their  abode  in  the 
natural  world,  have  brought  a  lethargy  on  their  under- 
standings, in  consequence  of  an  indolent  indisposition 
to  think  on  spiritual  subjects,  attended  with  a  lazi- 
ness in  the  execution  of  good  and  useful  purposes; 
they  go  by  the  name  of  Northern  spirits  (spiritus  bo- 
reales.J  On  a  certain  time  I  was  seized  with  a  strong 
desire  to  see  some  country  in  the  frigid  zone,  where 
those  northern  spirits  dwell ;  and  accordingly  I  was  car- 
ried in  the  spirit  towards  the  north,  to  a  region  which 
appeared  covered  with  snow,  and  where  the  water  was 
frozen  to  a  solid  ice.  It  was  the  sabbath  day,  and  I 
saw  a  number  of  men,  that  is,  spirits,  of  the  same  size 
and  stature  with  men  in  the  natural  world,  who  had 
their  heads  covered  with  lions'  skins,  by  reason  of  the 
cold,  and  their  bodies,  both  before  and  behind,  down 
to  the  loins,  covered  with  the  skins  of  leopards,  and 
their  legs  and  feet  with  the  skins  of  bears;  I  also  ob- 
served several  riding  in  chariots,  and  some  of  the  cha- 
riots made  in  the  shape  of  a  dragon  with  horns,  stretch- 
ing out  before  ;  they  were  drawn  by  small  horses  with- 
out tails,  which  ran  with  the  impetuosity  of  terrible 
fierce  beasts,  whilst  the  driver,  with  the  reins  in  hi? 


S4 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


hand,  was  continually  whipping  them  to  hasten  their 
speed.  I  found  afterwards  that  they  were  all  flocking 
towards  a  church,  which  was  invisible,  by  reason  of 
the  snow  which  covered  it;  some,  however,  who  had 
the  care  of  the  church,  melted  the  snow,  and  by  its  re- 
moval made  way  for  the  people  to  enter,  who  accord- 
ingly descended,  and  took  their  places.  I  was  then, 
permitted  to  take  a  view  of  the  inside  of  the  church: 
it  was  enlightened  with  lamps,  and  candles,  in  great 
abundance  ;  the  altar  was  of  hewn  stone,  behind  which 
hung  a  tablet  with  this  inscription,  A  divine  trinity, 

CONSISTING  OF  FATHER,  SON,  AND  HOLY  GHOST,  WHO 
ARE  IN    ESSENCE  ONE  GoD,   BUT  IN   PERSON  THREE. 

Presently  the  priest  standing  at  the  altar,  after  he  had 
three  times  kneeled  down  before  the  sacred  tablet, 
with  a  book  in  his  hand,  ascended  the  pulpit,  and  be- 
gun a  sermon  on  the  divine  trinity,  crying  out  in  a 
Joud  voice,  "  O  what  a  grand  mystery  !  that  the  most 
high  God  should  beget  a  son  from  et«  ruity,  and  by  him 
produce  the  holy  ghost,  and  that  they  three  should  be 
joined  in  essence,  but  yet  be  separate  in  their  proper- 
ties, which  are  imputation,  redemption  and  operation! 
If  however  we  set  reason  to  look  into  this  mystery, 
her  eye  is  blinded,  and  is  overspread  with  darkness, 
as  when  one  attempteth  to  look  at  the  naked  sun  with 
the  bodily  eye;  wherefore,  my  brethren,  it  is  my  ad- 
vice that,  in  a  subject  of  this  nature,  we  keep  our  un- 
derstandings in  obedience  to  faith."  After  this  he 
again  lifted  up  his  voice,  and  said,  "  0  what  a  grand 
mystery  is  our  holy  faith!  that  God  the  father  im- 
puteth  the  righteousness  of  his  son,  and  sendeth  the 
holy  ghost,  who,  in  consequence  of  that  imputation, 
giveth  the  pledges  of  justification,  which  are  remission 
of  sins,  renovation,  regeneration,  and  salvation  ;  of 
whose  influx,  or  operation,  man  is  as  ignorant  as  the 
statue  of  salt  into  which  Lot's  wife  was  turned,  and 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


JO 


with  whose  indwelling,  or  state,  he  is  as  little  ac- 
quainted as  a  fish  in  the  sea!  But,  my  friends,  there 
is  a  treasure  hid  in  this  faith,  so  deep,  however,  and 
so  covered  up,  that  no  part  of  it  can  appear;  where- 
fore it  is  my  advice  that  in  this  case  also  we  keep  our 
understandings  in  obedience  to  faith."  After  he  had 
sighed  for  some  time,  he  again  raised  his  voice,  and 
said,  "  Oh,  how  grand  a  mystery  is  election  !  He  is  an 
elect  person,  to  whom  God  imputeth  this  faith,  which 
of  his  free  pleasure,  and  pure  grace,  he  poureth  out  on 
whomsoever  he  pleaseth,  and  at  whatsoever  time  it 
seemeth  good  unto  him  ;  and  during  the  act  of  such 
infusion  from  God,  man  is  like  a  stock  or  a  stone,  but, 
when  this  faith  is  infused,  he  becometh  like  a  living 
and  fruitful  tree  ;  the  fruits  however,  which  are  good 
works,  hang  indeed  from  that  tree,  which  in  a  repre- 
sentative sense  is  our  faith,  but  still  they  do  not  co- 
here with  it:  wherefore  the  price  of  that  tree  doth  not 
arise  from  its  fruit;  but  as  this  may  appear  like 
heterodoxy,  and  yet  is  a  great  mystical  truth,  there- 
fore, my  brethren,  it  is  my  advice  that  on  this  subject 
also  we  keep  our  understandings  in  obedience  to 
faith."  Then,  after  a  short  pause,  seeming  as  if  he 
wanted  to  recollect  something  which  he  had  stored  up 
in  his  memory,  lie  continued  his  discourse,  saying, 
(i  From  my  store  of  mysteries  I  will  yet  produce  one 
other,  \fhich  is  this,  that  man  hath  not  a  single  grain 
of  freewill,  with  respect  to  spiritual  things;  for  the 
chiefs  and  rulers  of  our  order  assert,  in  their  theologi- 
cal canons,  that  in  regard  to  what  concerns  faith,  and 
salvation,  or  the  things  particularly  called  spiritual, 
man  hath  no  power  to  will,  to  think,  to  understand, 
no,  nor  even  to  accommodate,  and  apply  himself  to 
the  reception  of  them  ;  wherefore  I  do  p  >s  tvely  in- 
sist that  man  of  himself  hath  no  more  power  to  think 
rationally,  or  talk  sensibly,  on  such  subjects,  thau  a 


SB 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


parrot,  a  jackdaw,  or  a  raven,  and  that,  of  conse- 
quence, with  respect  to  spiritual  things  he  is  a  true 
and  real  ass,  and  only  a  man  with  respect  to  natural 
things ;  but,  my  beloved  friends,  lest  this  subject 
should  be  troublesome  to  our  reason,  let  me  advise 
that  in  this  also  we  keep  our  understandings  obedient 
to  faith  ;  for  our  theology  is  like  a  bottomless  abyss, 
into  which,  if  we  suffer  our  understandings  to  look 
down,  we  shall  instantly  sink  over  head,  and  perish 
as  in  a  shipwreck  ;  yet  hear  what  I  have  to  say ;  We 
are  nevertheless  in  the  true  light  of  the  gospel,  which 
shineth  aloft  over  our  heads,  but  the  misfortune  is, 
that  the  hair  of  our  heads,  and  the  bones  of  our  skulls 
prevent  it  from  penetrating  into  the  inner  chambers 
of  our  understandings."  When  he  had  spoken  these 
words  he  descended  from  the  pulpit,  and  after  he  had 
offered  up  a  prayer  at  the  altar,  and  the  service  was 
ended,  I  joined  some  of  the  congregation,  who  were 
in  discourse  together,  and  had  formed  themselves  in 
a  circle  round  the  priest,  to  whom  they  paid  their 
compliments,  saying,  We  are  ever  bound  to  thank 
thee  for  thy  most  excellent  discourse,  so  full  of  ma- 
jesty and  wisdom.  Then  I  addressed  myself  to  them, 
and  said,  Did  ye  understand  at  all  what  the  priest 
was  preaching  about  ?  and  they  replied,  We  took  all 
in  with  open  ears  ;  but  why  dost  thou  ask  whether  we 
understood  it  ?  Is  not  the  understanding  too  much 
astonished  with  such  subjects  to  have  any  clear  com- 
prehension of  them  ?  Then  the  priest  interposed,  and 
said,  Blessed  are  ye,  because  ye  have  heard,  and  have 
not  understood,  for  hereby  are  ye  saved.  1  had  some 
conversation  afterwards  with  the  priest,  and  asked 
him,  whether  he  had  taken  his  degrees  regularly  ?  He 
answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  that  he  was  a  master 
of  arts  ;  then  addressing  him  by  his  title,  I  said, — 
Thou  hast  been  preaching  about  great  mysteries,  but 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


37 


if  thou  only  knowest  their  names,  without  knowing 
what  they  contain,  thou  knowest  nothing ;  for  they 
are  like  caskets  locked  with  a  triple  lock,  which  un- 
less thou  openest  and  lookest  in,  (and  this  is  only  to 
be  done  by  the  understanding)  thou  canst  not  tell 
whether  they  contain  things  of  value,  or  things  of  no 
value,  or  even  things  hurtful,  as  cockatrice  eggs,  and 
spiders  webs,  according  to  the  description  in  Isaiah, 
Chap.  Iix.  5.  As  I  spoke  these  words,  the  priest  eyed 
me  with  a  stern  countenance  ;  and  the  congregation 
departed,  and  got  into  their  chariots,  intoxicated  with 
paradoxes,  infatuated  with  empty  speculations,  and 
overspread  with  darkness  in  all  things  relating  to 
faith,  and  the  means  of  salvation. 

The  Second  Memorable  Relation.  I  was  once 
engaged  in  contemplation  concerning  what  region  of 
the  human  mind  tilings  of  a  theological  nature  have 
their  residence  in,  and  I  at  first  conceived,  that  as 
such  things  are  of  a  spiritual  and  ccelestial  origin, 
therefore  they  must  of  course  reside  in  the  highest  re- 
gion. For  the  human  mind  is  divided  into  three  dis- 
tinct regions,  as  a  house  is  into  three  stories,  and  as 
the  abodes  of  the  angels  are  into  three  heavens. 
Then  an  angel  presented  himself  before  me,  and  said, 
Things  relating  to  theology,  in  those  who  love  truth 
for  truth's  sake,  emerge  even  to  the  highest  region,  be- 
cause in  that  region  is  their  heaven,  and  they  enjoy 
there  the  same  light  as  do  the  angels  ;  and  things  re- 
lating to  Morality,  if  they  have  been  attentively  ex- 
amined, and  contemplated,  have  their  abode  beneath 
the  former,  in  the  second  region,  because  they  have 
communication  with  what  is  spiritual  ;  and  under 
these,  in  the  first  region,  are  things  of  a  political,  or 
civil  nature;  but  scientincs,  or  matters  of  science, 
which  are  of  sundry  kinds,  and  may  be  classed  into 
their  respective  genera,  and  species,  form  the  door 


o8 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


that  leadeth  to  those  higher  regions.  They  in  whom 
spiritual,  moral,  political  and  scientific  tilings  are  in 
this  subordination,  have  all  their  thoughts  and  actions 
influenced  by  justice  and  judgment,  because  the  light 
of  truth,  which  is  also  the  light  of  heaven,  from  the 
highest  region,  enlighteneth  what  is  below,  just  as  the 
light  of  the  sun,  passing  through  the  atmospheres,  and 
air,  progressively,  enlighteneth  the  eyes  of  men  and 
of  beasts  and  fishes.  But  the  case  is  altered  with 
those  who  do  not  love  truth  for  truth's  sake,  but  with 
a  view  to  their  own  glory  and  reputation  ;  things  of  a 
theological  nature,  in  such,  reside  in  the  last  region 
where  scientifics  have  their  abode,  and  in  some  in- 
stances mix  with  the  scientifics,  but  in  other  instances 
cannot  mix  ;  under  these,  in  the  same  region,  is  the 
residence  of  political  things,  and  under  them  of  moral; 
for  in  such  persons  the  two  higher  regions  are  not 
opened  on  the  right  side,  so  that  they  have  no  interior 
discernment  of  true  judgment,  nor  any  affection  for 
justice,  but  only  a  certain  ingenuity,  whereby  they 
can  converse  on  every  subject  with  seeming  intelli- 
gence, and  confirm  whatever  they  please  with  an  ap- 
pearance of  reason  ;  but  the  objects  of  reason,  which 
they  are  most  enamoured  of,  are  falses,  because  these 
cohere,  and  unite  with,  the  fallacies  of  the  senses. 
Hence  it  is  that  there  are  so  many  people  in  the 
world,  who  no  more  see  the  truths  of  doctrine  deriv- 
ed from  the  word,  than  men  born  blind  can  see  the 
objects  of  nature,  and  when  they  hear  such  truths 
they  close  their  nostrils,  lest  the  odour  thereof  should 
offend  them,  and  create  aversion ;  whereas  to  the  re- 
ception of  falses  they  open  all  their  senses,  and  drink 
them  in  with  the  same  greediness  that  a  whale  swal- 
lovveth  water. 

The  Third  Memorable  Relation.  I  was  once 
meditating  about  the  dragon,  the  beast,  and  the  false 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


39 


prophet  mentioned  in  the  Revelation,  when  an  angelic 
spirit  appeared  before  me.  and  asked,  what  was  the 
subject  of  my  meditation  ?  I  answered,  concerning  the 
false  prophet;  then  he  said, Come  with  me,  and  I  will 
lead  thee  to  the  place  of  their  abode,  who  are  signified 
by  the  false  prophet,  and  who  are  the  same  that  are 
understood  in  the  xiiith  chapter  of  the  Revelation  by 
the  beast  rising  out  of  the  earth,  which  had  two  horns 
like  a  lamb,  and  spake  like  a  dragon.  I  followed  him, 
and  lo!  I  saw  a  great  multitude  of  people,  and  in  the 
midst  of  them  several  persons  of  note  and  distinction 
in  the  church,  who  had  taught,  that  man  is  saved  only 
by  faith  in  the  merits  of  Christ,  and  that  works  are 
good  and  profitable,  but  not  in  regard  to  salvation, 
and  that  nevertheless  they  are  to  be  insisted  on  as 
agreeable  to  the  word  of  God,  and  as  a  means  of  keep- 
ing the  laity,  particularly  the  more  simple  amongst 
them,  in  stricter  obedience  to  the  civil  magistrate, 
whilst  they  are  instigated  to  the  exercise  of  moral  du- 
ties by  the  interior  obligations  arising  from  religion. 
Then  one  of  them,  observing  me,  said,  Hast  thou  any 
desire  to  see  our  place  of  worship,  wherein  is  an  image 
representative  of  our  faith  ?  I  answered  in  the  affirma- 
tive ;  so. he  conducted  me  to  the  building,  which  was 
very  magnificent,  and  lo !  in  the  midst  of  it  there  was 
the  image  of  a  woman,  clothed  in  a  scarlet  vest,  and 
holding  in  her  right  hand  a  piece  of  gold  coin,  and  in 
her  left  a  chain  of  pearls  ;  but  both  the  image  and  the 
place  of  worship  were  the  effect  of  phantasy;  for 
thereby  infernal  spirits  have  the  power  to  represent 
very  magnificent  objects,  by  closing  the  interiors  of 
the  mind,  and  opening  only  its  exteriors.  When  I 
perceived  however  that  all  this  was  a  mere  trick  and 
delusion,  I  prayed  to  the  Lord,  and  suddenly  the  in- 
teriors of  my  mind  were  open,  and  then  I  beheld,  in- 
stead of  the  magnificent  dome,  a  poor  house,  full  of 


40 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


clefts  and  chinks  from  top  to  bottom,  without  any  or- 
der or  regularity  about  it;  and  I  saw  within  the 
house,  instead  of  the  woman,  a  pendent  image,  with 
a  head  like  a  dragon,  a  body  like  a  leopard,  feet  like 
a  bear,  and  a  mouth  like  a  lion,  in  every  respect  as 
the  beast  is  described  rising  out  of  the  sea,  Rev.  xiii. 
2.  Moreover,  instead  of  firm  ground,  there  was  a  bog, 
containing  a  great  multitude  of  frogs,  and  I  was  in- 
formed that  beneath  the  bog  was  a  large  hewn  stone, 
under  which  the  word  lay  entirely  hid.  On  seeing 
these  things  I  said  to  the  enchanter,  Is  this  your  place 
of  worship?  And  he  replied,  It  is;  but  suddenly,  at 
that  very  instant,  his  interior  sight  was  opened,  where- 
by he  saw  the  same  appearances  that  I  did ;  where- 
upon he  cried  out  with  a  loud  voice,  What  and  whence 
is  all  this  !  And  I  said,  This  is  in  consequence  of  light 
from  heaven,  which  discovereth  the  quality  of  every 
form,  and  thus  hath  discovered  the  quality  of  your 
faith  separate  from  the  spiritual  principle  of  charity ; 
then  immediately  an  east  wind  blew  and  removed  the 
place  of  worship,  together  with  the  image,  and  like- 
wise dried  up  the  bog,  and  thereby  exposed  the  stone, 
under  which  lay  the  word  :  This  was  succeeded  by  a 
vernal  warmth  exhaling  from  heaven,  and  lo  !  then  in 
the  very  same  place  there  appeared  a  tabernacle,  as 
to  its  outward  form  plain,  and  simple;  and  the  angels 
who  were  with  me  said,  Behold  the  tabernacle  of 
Abraham,  such  as  it  was  when  the  three  angels  came 
to  him,  and  announced  the  future  birth  of  Isaac;  it 
appeareth  indeed  plain  and  simple  to  the  eye,  but 
nevertheless,  in  proportion  to  the  influx  of  light  from 
heaven,  it  becometh  more  and  more  magnificent;  and 
immediately  they  were  permitted  to  open  the  heaven 
which  is  the  abode  of  the  spiritual  angels,  who  excel 
in  wisdom,  and  suddenly,  by  virtue  of  the  influx  of 
light  from  thence,  the  tabernacle  appeared  as  a  tem- 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


41 


pie,  resembling  that  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  on  looking  in- 
to it,  I  saw  the  stone  in  the  floor,  under  which  the 
void  lay  concealed,  beset  with  precious  stones,  from, 
which  there  issued  forth  bright  rays,  as  of  lightning, 
that  shone  upon  the  walls,  and  caused  beautiful  va- 
riegations of  colours  on  certain  cherubic  forms  that 
were  painted  thereon.  As  I  was  wondering  at  these 
prodigies,  the  angels  said,  Thou  shalt  yet  see  some- 
thing more  surprizing;  then  they  were  permitted  to 
open  the  third  heaven,  which  is  the  abode  of  tiie  cceles. 
tial  angels,  who  excel  in  love,  and  suddenly,  by  vir- 
tue of  the  influx  of  flaming  light  from  thence,  the 
whole  temple  disappeared,  and  instead  thereof  was 
seen  the  Lord  alone,  standing  on  the  stone  below, 
which  was  the  word,  in  the  same  form  and  figure,  that 
he  appeared  in  before  John,  Rev.  Chap.  i.  But  where- 
as a  divine  sanctity  instantly  filled  the  interiors  of  the 
angels  minds,  whereby  they  felt  a  strong  propensity 
to  fall  prostrate  on  their  faces,  suddenly  the  passage 
of  light  from  the  third  heaven  was  closed  by  the  Lord, 
and  tiiat  from  the  second  heaven  opened  again,  in  con- 
sequence whereof  the  former  appearance  of  the  tem- 
ple returned,  and  also  of  the  tabernacle,  but  this  was 
in  the  midst  of  the  temple.  Hereby  was  illustrated 
the  meaning  of  these  words  in  the  Revelation,  Chap, 
xxi.  Behold  the  tabernacle  of  God  is  with  men,  and  he 
will  dwell  icith  them,  ver.  S.  and  also  of  these,  I  saw 
no  temple  in  the  new  Jerusalem,  for  the  Lord  God  Jll- 
mighty,  and  the  Lamb  are  the  temple  of  it,  ver.  22. 

The  Fourth  Memorable  Relation.  Inasmuch 
as  the  Lord  hath  favoured  me  with  a  sight  of  the  won- 
derful things  that  are  in  the  heavens,  and  under  the 
heavens,  it  is  therefore  my  duty,  in  obedience  to  his 
command,  to  relate  what  I  have  seen.  There  was 
shewn  me  a  magnificent  palace,  with  a  temple  in  its 
inner  courts,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  temple  was  a 
t  2 


42 


EXTRACTS   FROM  THE 


table  of  gold,  on  which  lay  the  word,  and  two  angels 
stood  beside  it.  About  the  table  were  three  rows  of 
seats  ;  the  seats  of  the  first  row  were  covered  with  silk 
damask,  of  a  purple  colour  ;  the  seats  of  the  second 
row  with  silk  damask,  of  a  blue  colour  ;  and  the  seats 
of  the  third  row  with  white  cloth.  Below  the  roof, 
high  above  the  table,  there  was  seen,  a  spreading  cur- 
tain, which  shone  with  precious  stones,  from  whose 
lustre  there  issued  forth  a  bright  appearance  as  of  a 
rainbow,  when  the  firmament  is  clear  and  serene  after 
a  shower.  Suddenly  there  appeared  a  number  of  cler- 
gy sitting  on  the  seats,  all  clothed  in  the  garments  of 
their  sacerdotal  office.  On  one  side  was  a  vestry, 
where  an  angel,  who  had  the  care  of  it,  attended,  and 
within  lay  rich  vestments  in  most  beautiful  and  exact 
order.  It  was  a  council  convened  by  the  Lord; 
and  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying,  Deliberate; 
but  they  said,  On  what?  It  was  said,  concerning  the 
Lord  the  saviour, and  concerning  the  holy  ghost; 
but  when  they  began  to  think  on  these  subjects  they 
were  without  illumination  ;  wherefore  they  made  sup- 
plication, and  immediately  light  issued  down  out  of 
heaven,  which  first  enlightened  the  hinder  part  of  their 
heads,  and  afterwards  their  temples,  and  last  of  all 
their  faces ;  and  then  they  began  their  deliberation, 
and  as  they  were  commanded,  First,  concerning 
the  Lord  the  saviour  ;  the  first  proposition,  and 
matter  of  inquiry  was,  Who  assumed  the  humanity 
in  the  virgin  Mary;  and  an  angel  standing  at  the 
table,  on  which  the  word  lay,  read  before  them  these 
words  in  Luke,  The  angel  said  unto  Mary,  behold,  thou 
shalt  conceive  in  thy  womb,  and  bring  forth  a  son,  and 
shult  call  his  name  Jesus  ;  he  shall  be  great,  and  shall 
be  called  The  son  of  the  highest.  And  Mary  said 
to  the  angel,  how  shall  this  be,  seeing  I  know  not  a 
maii?  And  the  angel  answering  said,  The  holy  ghost 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


43 


SHALL    COME    UPON    THEE,    AND  THE  POWER  OF  THE 

highest  shall  overshadow  thee,  wherefore  also 
that  holy  thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be 
called  The  son  of  God,  Chap.  i.  31,  32,  34,  35.  Then 
he  read  also  these  words  in  Matthew,  The  angel  said 
to  Joseph  in  a  dream,  Joseph,  thou  son  of  David,  fear 
not  to  take  unto  thee  Mary  thy  wife,  for  that  which 
is  born  in  her  is  of  the  holy  ghost,  and  Joseph 
knew  her  not,  till  she  had  brought  forth  her  first 
born  son,  and  she  called  his  name  Jesus,  Chap.  i.  20, 
25.  And  besides  these  passages  he  read  many  more 
out  of  the  Evangelists,  as  Matt.  iii.  17.  Chap,  xxvii.  5. 
Johni.  18.  Chap.  iii.  16.  Chap.  xx.  31,  and  several 
other  places,  where  the  Lord,  as  to  his  humanity,  is 
called  The  son  of  God,  and  where  he,  from  his  hu- 
manity, calleth  Jehovah  his  father  ;  and  also  out  of 
the  prophets,  where  it  is  foretold  that  Jehovah  should 
come  into  the  world  ;  particularly  these  two  passages 
in  Isaiah,  It  shall  be  said  in  that  day,  lo !  this  is  our 
God,  we  have  waited  for  him,  and  he  will  save  us, 
this  is  Jehovah,  we  have  waited  for  him,  we  will 
be  glad  and  rejoice  in  his  salvation,  Chap.  xxv.  9.  The 
•voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness,  Prepare  ye 
the  way  of  Jehovah,  make  straight  in  the  desert  an 
highway  for  our  God;  for  the  glory  of  Jehovah 
shall  be  revealed  ;  and  all  flesh  shall  see  it  together  ; 
behold,  the  Lord  Jehovah  will  come  with  strong 
hand,  and  his  arm  shall  rule  for  him  ;  he  shall  feed 
his  flock  like  a  shepherd,  xl.  3,  5,  10,  11.  And  the 
angel  said,  inasmuch  as  Jehovah  himself  came  into  the 
world,  and  assumed  the  humanity,  therefore  he  is  call- 
ed by  the  prophets,  The  saviour,  and  the  redeem- 
er ;  and  then  he  read  before  them  the  following  pas- 
sage-, Surely  God  is  in  thee,  and  there  is  none  else; 
verily  thou  art  a  God  that  hideat  thyself,  0  God  of 
Iskaex  the  saviour,  Isaiah  xlv.  14,  15.    Jim  not  I 


44 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


Jehovah  ?  and  there  is  no  God  else  beside  me  ;  a  just 
God,  and  a  saviour,  there  is  none  beside  me, 
Chap.  xlv.  21.  I  am  Jehovah,  and  beside  me  there 
is  no  saviour,  Chap,  xliii.  11.  /  Jehovah  am  thy 
God,  and  thou  shalt  know  no  God  beside  me,  for. 
there  is  no  saviour  beside  me,  Hosea  xiii.  4.  Jlnd 
all  flesh  shall  know  that  /  Jehovah  am  thy  saviour 
and  redeemer,  Isaiah  xlix.  26.  Chap.  lx.  16.  As 
for  our  redeemer,  the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his 
name,  Chap,  xlvii.  4.  Their  redeemer  is  strong, 
the  Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name,  Jerem.  1.  34.  Je- 
hovah is  my  strength  and  my  redeemer,  Psalm  xix. 
14.  Thus  saith  Jehovah  thy  redeemer,  the  holy 
one  of  Israel,  I  Jehovah  am  thy  God,  Isaiah  xlviii.  17. 
xlix.  7.  liv.  8.  Thou  Jehovah  art  our  father,  our 
redeemer,  thy  name  is  from  everlasting,  Chap,  lxiii. 
16.  Thus  saith  Jehovah  thy  redeemer,  I  am  the 
Lord  that  maketh  all  things,  Chap.  xliv.  24.  Thus 
saith  Jehovah  the  king  of  Israel,  and  his  redeemer 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  /  am  the  first,  and  I  amthe  last, 
and  beside  me  there  is  no  God,  Chap.  xliv.  6.  The 
Lord  of  hosts  is  his  name,  and  thy  redeemer  the 
holy  one  of  Israel,  the  God  of  the  whole  earth 
shall  he  be  called,  Chap.  liv.  5.  Behold  the  days  come 
that  I  will  raise  unto  David  a  righteous  branch,  and 
this  is  his  name,  Jehovah  our  righteousness,  Jere- 
miah xxiii.  5.  Chap,  xxxiii.  15,  16.  Jlnd  Jehovah  shall  be 
king  over  all  the  earth,  in  that  day  shall  there  be 
one  Jehovah,  and  his  name  one,  Zecli.  xiv.  9.  From 
all  these  passages  collected,  they  that  sat  on  the  seats 
were  unanimously  confirmed  in  this  opinion,  viz.  that 
Jehovah  himself  assumed  the  humanity,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  redeeming  and  saving  mankind.  But  instantly 
a  voice  was  heard  from  some  Roman  Catholics,  who 
had  hid  themselves  behind  the  altar,  saying,  How  was 
it  possible  for  Jehovah  God  to  become  a  man  ?  Is  not 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


45 


he  the  creator  of  the  universe  ?  And  one  of  those  who 
sat  on  the  second  row  of  seats  turned  himself  towards 
the  voice,  and  said,  Who  was  it  then  ?  And  he  who 
had  been  concealed  behind  the  altar,  standing  then 
near  the  altar,  replied,  The  son  begotten  from  eternity; 
but  answer  was  returned,  Is  not  the  son  begotten  from 
eternity,  according  to  your  confession,  the  creator  also 
of  the  universe  ?  and  what  is  a  son,  and  a  God,  born 
from  eternity  ?  And  how  is  it  possible  for  the  divine 
essence,  which  is  one,  and  individual,  to  be  separated, 
so  that  one  part  can  descend  without  the  whole  ?  Jin- 
other  matter  of  inquiry  concerning  the  Lord  was, 
whether  or  no,  according  to  this  reasoning,  the  father 
and  he  are  one,  as  the  soul  and  body  are  one  ?  and 
they  said,  That  this  must  follow  of  consequence,  inas- 
much as  the  soul  is  from  the  father.  Then  one  of 
those  who  sat  on  the  third  row  of  seats  read,  out  of  the 
Coufession  of  Faith,  called  the  Athanasian  creed,  the 
following  passage,  Although  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
the  son  of  God,  is  God  and  man,  yet  he  is  not  two,  but 
one  Christ,  one  altogether,  by  unity  of  person  ;  for  as 
the  soul  and  body  make  one  man,  so  God  and  man  are 
one  Christ.  He  added  that  the  creed,  containing 
these  words*  is  received  throughout  the  whole  Chris- 
tian world,  even  by  the  Roman  Catholics;  then  they 
said.  Wha  »ed  have  we  of  farther  proof  ?  The  father 
and  lie  an  <-iie,  as  the  soul  and  body  are  one  ;  and 
since  this  is  the  case,  we  perceive  that  the  humanity 
of  the  Lord  is  divine,  because  it  is  the  humanity  of 
Jehovah  ;  and  also  that  the  Lord  ought  to  be  approach- 
ed as  to  his  divine  humanity,  because  this  is  the  only 
possible  way  to  come  at  the  divinity  which  is  called 
the  father.  This  conclusion  the  angel  confirmed  by 
several  passages  out  of  the  word  ;  amongst  which  were 
these,  Unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given, 
and  his  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor, 


46 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


the  Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  oj' 
Peace,  Isaiah  ix.  5.  Doubtless  thou  art  our  Father, 
though  Abraham  be  ignorant  oj  us,  and  Israel  acknow- 
ledge us  not;  thou  Jehovah  art  our  Father,  our  Redeem- 
er, thy  name  is  from  everlasting,  Chap,  lxiii.  16.  Je- 
sus said,  He  that  believeth  on  me,  believeth  on  him  that 
sent  me,  and  he  that  seeth  me,  seeth  him  that  sent  me, 
John  xii.  44,  45.  Philip  said  unto  Jesus,  shew  us  the 
father  ;  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  He  that  seeth  me  seeth 
the  father ;  how  then  sayest  thou,  shew  us  the  father  ; 
believest  thou  not  that  I  am  in  the  father,  and  the  fa- 
ther in  me,  John  xiv.  8,  9.  Jesus  said,  I  and  the  father 
are  one,  Chap.  x.  30,  and  again,  Ml  things  that  the 
father  hath  are  mine,  and  all  mine  are  the  father's, 
Chap.  xvi.  15.  Chap.  xvii.  10.  Lastly,  Jesus  said,  I 
am  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life,  no  man  cometh  to 
the  father  but  by  me,  Chap.  xiv.  6.  To  this  the  angel 
added,  that  the  same  things  which  are  here  spoken  by 
the  Lord  of  himself,  and  his  father,  may  also  be  spoken 
by  man  with  respect  to  himself,  and  to  his  soul.  When 
the  angel  ended,  they  all  declared  witli  one  mouth, 
and  one  heart,  that  the  humanity  of  the  Lord  is  divine, 
and  that  it  ought  to  be  approached  in  order  to  come 
at  the  father ;  inasmuch  as  Jehovah  God,  by  it,  sent 
himself  into  the  world,  and  made  himself  visible  to 
mankind,  and  thereby  gave  them  access  unto  him  :  in 
like  manner  he  made  himself  visible  to  men  of  old 
time,  in  an  human  form,  and  so  gave  them  access  unto 
him  ;  but  that  was  by  means  of  an  angel ;  and  as  this 
form  was  representative  of  the  Lord,  who  was  about 
to  come  into  the  world,  therefore  all  things  in  the 
church  at  that  time  were  representatives. 

After  this  they  proceeded  to  deliberate  about  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  previous  thereto,  they  laid  open  the 
idea  generally  received  concerning  God  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is,  that  God  the 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION". 


father  is  seated  on  high,  with  the  son  at  his  right  hand, 
and  that  by  them  is  sent  forth  the  holy  ghost,  to  en- 
lighten, instruct,  justify  and  sanctify  mankind.  But 
instantly  a  voice  was  heard  from  heaven,  saying,  We 
cannot  endure  an  idea  formed  on  such  a  conception  ; 
who  doth  not  know  that  Jehovah  God  is  omnipresent? 
And  whosoever  knoweth  and  acknowledged  this  truth, 
may  also  acknowledge  that  it  is  he  who  enlighteneth, 
instructeth,  sanctifieth,  and  justifieth,  and  not  a  me- 
diating God  distinct  from  him  ;  much  less  is  it  a  third 
God  proceeding  from  two  others,  as  a  person  from  a 
person  ;  wherefore  let  the  former  idea,  which  is  vain 
and  frivolous,  be  removed,  and  let  this,  which  is  just 
and  right,  be  received,  and  then  you  will  see  clearly. 
But  immediately  a  voice  was  heard  from  the  Roman 
catholics,  who  stood  near  the  altar,  saying,  What  then 
is  the  holy  ghost,  mentioned  in  the  writings  of  the 
Evangelists,  and  Paul,  by  whom  so  many  learned  men 
amongst  the  clergy,  and  particularly  of  our  own 
church,  profess  themselves  to  be  guided  ?  What  per- 
son in  Christendom  at  this  day  denieth  the  holy  ghost, 
and  his  operations  ?  Upon  this,  one  who  sat  on  the 
second  row  of  seats,  turned  towards  the  altar,  and 
said,  Ye  insist  that  the  holy  ghost  is  a  distinct  person 
of  himself,  and  a  distinct  God  of  himself;  but  what  is 
a  person  coming  forth,  and  proceeding  from  a  person, 
except  the  operation  which  cometh  forth,  and  pro- 
ceedeth  ?  One  person  cannot  come  forth  and  proceed 
from  another,  but  operation  can  ;  or  what  is  a  God, 
coming  forth,  and  proceeding  from  a  God,  but  the  di- 
vine which  cometh  forth,  and  proceedeth  ?  One  God 
cannot  come  forth  and  proceed  from  another,  and  by 
another,  but  what  is  divine  may  come  forth,  and  pro- 
ceed from  one  God.  On  hearing  these  words  they  that 
sat  on  the  seats  unanimously  agreed  in  this  conclu- 
sion, that  the  holy  ghost  is  not  a  distinct  person  of 


4b 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


himself,  consequently  not  a  distinct  God  of  himself, 
but  that  by  the  holy  ghost  is  meant  the  holy  divine, 
coming  forth,  and  proceeding,  from  the  one  only  om- 
nipresent God,  who  is  the  Lord.  To  this  the  angels, 
who  stood  at  the  golden  table,  whereon  the  word  was 
placed,  said,  Well ;  it  is  not  written  in  any  part  of  the 
old  testament  that  the  prophets  spake  the  word  from 
the  holy  ghost,  but  from  Jehovah  ;  and  wherever  the 
holy  ghost  is  mentioned  in  the  new  testament,  it  sig- 
nifies the  divine-proceeding,  which  is  the  divine  that 
enlighteneth,  instructeth,  vivifieth,  reformeth,  and  re- 
generateth.  After  this  came  on  another  subject  of  in- 
quiry respecting  the  holy  ghost,  viz.  From  whom  pro- 
ceedeth  the  divine  which  is  signified  by  the  holy  ghost; 
from  the  father,  or  from  the  Lord  ?  And  whilst  they 
were  engaged  in  this  inquiry,  there  shone  a  light  from 
heaven,  whereby  they  saw,  that  the  holy  divine,  which 
is  signified  by  the  holy  ghost,  doth  not  proceed  from 
the  father  through  the  Lord,  but  of  the  Lord  from  the 
father,  comparatively  as  in  the  case  of  every  indi- 
vidual man,  whose  activity  doth  not  proceed  from  the 
soul  through  the  body,  but  of  the  body  from  the  soul. 
This  the  angel  who  stood  at  the  table  confirmed  by 
these  passages  from  the  word,  He  whom  the  father 
hath  sent  speaketh  the  word  of  God  ;  for  God  givelh 
not  the  spirit  by  measure  unto  him,  the  father  lovelh 
the  son,  and  hath  given  nil  things  into  his  hand,  John 
iii.  34,  35.  There  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  of  the 
stem  of  Jesse  ;  the  spirit  of  Jehovah  shall  rest  upon 
him,  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding,  the  spirit 
of  counsel  and  might,  Isaiah,  xi.  1,  2.  Thai  the  spirit 
of  Jehovah  was  put  upon  him,  and  was  in  him,  Chap, 
xlii.  I.  lix.  19.  21.  Chap.  lxi.  1.  Luke  iv.  18.  When 
the  holy  ghost  shall  come,  whom  I  will  send  unto  you 
from  the  father,  John  xv.  26.  He  shall  glorify  me,  for 
he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  shew  it  unto  you  ; 


TRUE  CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


49 


all  things  that  the  father  hath  are  mine,  wherefore  I 
said,  that  he  shall  receive  of  mine,  and  shall  shew  it 
unto  you,  John  xvi.  14,  15.  If  I  depart,  I  will  send 
the  comforter  unto  you,  John  xvi.  7.  That  the  com- 
forter is  the  holy  ghost,  John  xiv.  26.  The  holy  ghost 
teas  not  yet  given,  because  Jesus  ivas  not  yet  glorified, 
John  vii.  39.  But  after  his  glorification,  Jesus  breath- 
ed on  his  disciples  and  said,  Receive  ye  the  holy  ghost, 
John  xx.  22.  and  in  the  Revelation,  Who  shall  not 
glorify  thy  name,  0  Lord,  because  thou  only  art  holy, 
xv.  4.  Inasmuch  as  the  divine  operation  of  the  Lord, 
by  virtue  of  his  divine  omnipresence,  is  signified  by 
the  holy  ghost,  therefore  when  the  Lord  spake  to  his 
disciples  concerning  the  holy  ghost,  whom  he  would 
send  from  the  father,  he  also  said,  I  will  not  leave  you 
comfortless,  T  go  away,  and  come  again  unto  you,  and 
in  that  day  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  in  my  father,  and. 
ye  in  me,  and  I  in  you,  John  xiv.  18.  20.  28.  And 
just  before  his  departure  out  of  the  world  he  said,  Lo! 
I  am  with  you  always  even  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
Matt,  xxviii.  20.  Having  read  these  words  in  their 
presence,  the  angel  said,  From  these,  and  many  other 
passages  in  the  Word,  it  is  evident,  that  the  divine, 
which  is  called  the  holy  ghost,  proceedeth  of  the  Lord 
from  the  father.  "Whereupon  they  that  sat  on  the  seats 
all  confessed,  This  is  divine  truth. 

Lastly,  This  decree  was  passed,  that  from  what 
hath  been  deliberated  in  this  council,  we  see  clearly, 
and  of  consequence  acknowledge  as  holy  truth,  that 
in  the  Lord  God  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  there  is  a 
divine  trinity,  consisting  of  the  all-begetting  divinity, 
which  is  called  father,  the  divine  humanity,  which  is 
called  the  son,  and  the  divine  proceeding,  which  is 
called  the  holy  ghost;  then  they  lifted  up  their  voices 
together,  saying,  In  Jesus  Christ  dwelleth  all  tf^eful- 
v 


50 


EXTRACTS  FROM  THE 


ness  of  the  godhead  bodily,  Coloss.  ii.  9.  Thus  there 
is  one  God  in  the  church. 

When  these  conclusions  were  determined  in  that 
magnificent  council,  they  rose  up  to  depart ;  and  the 
angel,  the  keeper  of  the  vestry,  presented  to  each  of 
them,  who  sat  on  the  seats,  rich  shining  garments,  inter- 
woven here  and  there  witli  threads  of  gold,  and  said, 
Receive  ye  these  wedding  garments.  And  they  were 
conducted  in  a  glorious  manner  to  the  new  Christian 
heaven,  with  which  the  Church  of  the  Lord  on  earth, 
which  is  the  New  Jerusalem,  is  to  be  joined. 

See  JVo.  163. 

The  fifth  Memorable  Relation.  On  a  certain  day 
there  appeared  before  me  a  magnificent  temple  of  a 
square  form,  whose  roof  was  like  a  crown,  arched 
above,  and  elevated  round  about ;  its  walls  were  con- 
tinued windows  of  crystals,  and  its  gate  of  a  pearly 
substance  ;  within  on  the  south  side,  verging  towards 
the  west,  was  a  pulpit,  on  which  towards  the  right  lay 
the  Word  open,  and  encompassed  with  a  sphere  of  light, 
whose  brightness  surrounded  and  illuminated  the  whole 
pulpit;  in  the  midst  of  the  temple  was  a  sacred  place 
with  a  veil  to  cover  it,  which  at  that  time  was  remov- 
ed, and  therein  stood  a  cherub  of  gold,  with  a  sword 
in  his  hand  that  turned  every  way.  Whilst  I  was 
taking  a  view  of  all  these  things,  and  thinking  what 
they  meant,  their  signification  was  pointed  out  to  me 
by  an  influx  from  above ;  hence  I  saw  that  the  temple 
signified  the  New  Church  ;  the  gate  of  a  pearly  sub- 
stance, the  entrance  into  it;  the  windows  of  crystals, 
the  truths  which  enlightened  it;  the  pulpit,  the  priest- 
hood, and  preaching;  the  Word  upon  it,  which  was 
open,  and  enlightened  the  higher  part  of  the  pulpit, 
the  revelation  of  its  internal  sense,  which  is  spiritual  : 


TRUE   CHRISTIAN  RELIGION. 


Jl 


the  sacred  place  in  the  midst  of  the  temple,  the  con- 
junction of  that  church  with  the  angelic  heaven;  the 
cherub  of  gold  within,  the  Word  in  its  literal  sense; 
the  sword  vibrating  in  his  hand  signified,  that  this 
sense  of  the  letter  is  capable  of  being  turned  every 
way,  supposing  only  that  it  be  applied  to  favour  any 
particular  truth:  the  removal  of  the  veil  before  the 
cherub  signified,  that  now  the  Word  is  laid  open.  Af- 
terwards as  I  approached  nearer,  I  saw  written  over 
the  gate  these  words,  Now  it  is  allowable,  which  sig- 
nified, that  now  it  is  allowable  to  enter  intellectually 
into  the  mysteries  of  faith.  On  seeing  this  writing,  it 
occurred  to  my  thoughts  how  dangerous  it  is  to  enter 
intellectually  into  tenets  of  faith,  formed  out  of  man's 
own  intelligence,  and  consequently  consisting  of  falses, 
and  how  much  more  so  to  confirm  them  by  passages 
from  the  Word,  whereby  the  understanding  is  closed 
above,  and  in  a  short  time  below,  and  that  to  such  a 
degree,  that  matters  of  a  theological  nature  not  only 
become  disagreeable,  but  are  also  obliterated  and  ef- 
faced, like  writing  on  paper  devoured  with  moths, 
whilst  the  understanding  abideth  only  in  political  con- 
cerns, such  as  regard  a  man's  life  in  the  state  to  which 
he  belongeth,  and  in  civil  concerns  relating  to  his  own 
particular  function,  and  in  domestic  concerns,  or  the 
business  of  his  own  family,  in  all  which  he  attacheth 
himself  closely  to  nature,  and  loveth  her  by  reason  of 
her  enchanting  pleasures,  as  an  idolater  doth  the  gold- 
en image  which  he  carrieth  in  his  bosom.  Now  where- 
as the  tenets  maintained  at  this  day,  in  all  Christian 
churches,  are  not  derived  from  the  Word,  but  from 
man's  own  intelligence,  and  consequently  consist  of 
falses,  and  yet  are  confirmed  by  some  passages  out  of 
the  Word,  therefore  amongst  the  Roman  Catholics,  by 
the  Lord's  divine  providence,  the  Word  was  taken  out 
of  the  hands  of  the  laity,  and  opened  amongst  the 


l52 


EXTRACTS,  &C. 


Protestants,  but  still  in  a  degree  kept  closed  np,  in 
consequence  of  a  ruling  maxim  amongst  them,  that  the 
understanding  is  to  be  kept  bound  under  obedieitce  to 
faith.  The  case  however  is  totally  reversed  in  the 
New  Church,  wherein  it  is  allowed  to  enter  with  the 
understanding,  and  to  penetrate  into  all  its  secrets, 
and  likewise  to  confirm  them  by  the  Word  ;  and  the 
reason  is,  because  its  doctrinals  are  a  chain  of  truths 
revealed  from  the  Lord  by  the  Word,  and  the  rational 
confirmation  thereof  causeth  the  understanding  to  be 
opened  more  and  more  upwards,  and  thereby  to  be 
elevated  into  the  light  which  the  angels  of  heaven  en- 
joy, which  light  in  it's  essence  is  truth,  wherein  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  Lord  as  God  of  heaven  and 
earth  shineth  with  resplendent  glory.  This  is  under- 
stood by  the  writing  over  the  gate  of  the  temple,  Now 
it  is  allowable,  and  also  by  the  veil  removed  from  be- 
fore the  cherub  in  the  sacred  place,  for  it  is  an  esta- 
blished law  of  the  New  Church  that  falsities  close  the 
understanding,  and  that  truths  open  it.  After  this  I 
saw  as  it  were  an  infant  over  my  head,  holding  a  paper 
in  his  hand,  who  as  he  approached  me  grew  up  to  the 
stature  of  a  middle-sized  man;  he  was  an  angel  from 
the  third  heaven,  where  all  appear  at  a  distance  like 
infants  ;  when  he  was  come  near,  he  held  forth  the 
paper  to  me,  which  being  written  with  circumflex  let- 
ters, such  as  are  used  in  that  heaven,  I  returned  it 
back,  and  desired  him  to  explain  the  meaning  of  its 
contents  in  words  adapted  to  my  ideas ;  then  he  re- 
plied, "  The  contents  are  these  ;  Enter  from  hence- 
forth into  the  mysteries  of  the  Word  which  hath  hereto- 
fore been  closed  tip,  for  all  the  truths  contained  therein 
are  so  many  mirrors  of  the  Lord."         See  No.  508. 


THE  END. 


CATALOGUE 

OF 

THE  THEOLOGICAL  WOEKS 

OF 

EMANUEL  SWEDENBORG, 

WITH  THEIR  PRICES. 


D. 

C. 

Arcana  Ccelestia,  12  vols.  8vo. 

37 

50 

Index  to  ditto,  1  vol. 

2 

50 

Apocalypse  Explained,  6  vols. 

18 

00 

Apocalypse  Revealed,  2  vols. 

5 

25 

Index  to  ditto,  1  vol.  - 

1 

25 

Conjugial  Love,  1  vol. 

2  00 

Divine  Providence,  1  vol. 

2  00 

Divine  Love  and  Wisdom,  1  vol. 

1 

75 

Heaven  and  Hell,  1  vol. 

2  37* 

True  Christian  Religion,  2  vols. 

4 

25 

Do.                1  vol.  4to. 

I  75 

Coronis  to  ditto,  1  vol. 

87* 

Brief  Continuation  of  Coronis, 

6i 

Earths  in  the  Universe,  1  vol.  12mo. 

75 

Doctrine  of  the  Lord,  1  vol. 

37* 

Doctrine  of  Life,  1  vol.  - 

37* 

Doctrine  of  the  Sacred  Scriptures,  1  vol. 

37* 

Doctrine  of  Faith,  1  vol.  - 

3H 

Treatise  on  Influx,  1  vol. 

37* 

White  Horse  in  the  Revelation,  1  vol. 

25 

Last  Judgment,  1  vol.  ... 

62* 

Continuation  of  ditto,  1  vol. 

31  i 

Catalogue. 


D.  C. 

Heavenly  Doctrine  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  1  vol.  62$ 

Do.  with  Extracts,  1  vol.     -       1  25 

Internal  Sense  of  Genesis,  &c.  1  vol.        -  75 

Internal  Sense  of  Prophets  and  Psalms,  1  vol.  75 

Internal  Sense  of  Psalms,  1  vol.       -        -  62$ 

Hieroglyphic  Key,  1  vol.       -  -  37$ 

Small  Treatise  on  Divine  Love  and  Wisdom, 

1  vol/wH;pl>>  -  -  -  62$ 

NEW  CHURCH  PUBLICATIONS. 

Nicholson's  Dictionary  of  Correspondences,  1 

vol.  4to.  -  -  -  -  4  75 

Clowes's  Sermons,  2  vols.  8vo.       -         -       2  62$ 
do.  do.      on  the  Children  of  Israel, 

1  vol.  -  -  -  -  1  87$ 

do.  do.     on  the  Lord's  Prayer,  1  vol.  2  25 

do.  do.     on  the  Marriage  of  the  King's 

Son,  1  vol.        -        -  -  -       -  1  62$ 

Evangelical  Religion  Restored,  1  vol.      -  75 

Clowes  on  Mediums,  I  vol.         -  -         1  50 

Seal  on  the  Lips,  1  vol.    -  -  1  50 

Clowes's  Matthew,  1  vol.  -  -        2  25 

Sibley's  Sermons,  1  vol.     -        -  -         1  25 

Regenerate  Life,  1  vol.  12mo.       -  -         1  12$ 

Religious  Instruction  for  Youth,  2  vols.  -  1  00 
Liturgy  and  Hymns, as  adopted  by  the  Churches 

in  Philadelphia  and  New  York,  -     #  75 

The  Halcyon  Luminary,  2  vols.  8vo.       -         5  00 

The  Intellectual  Repository,  20  numbers.  8  00 

Parables  Explained,  1  vol.  12mo.  -  75 

Hodson's  Sermons,  -  -  -        2  50 

Compendium  of  the  Doctrines,  by'  Robert 

Hindmarsh,       -  50 

Proud's  Lectures,  -  -  -        1  00 

Proud's  Discourses  to  Young  Persons,       -  62$ 

f 


Catalogue. 


TRACTS. 

a 

Life  of  Swedenborg,   25 

Golden  Wedding  Ring,        ....  61 

Hymns  for  Children,      -----  61 

Letters  to  a  Friend,   12$ 

Young  Prince,   6l 

Dialogues  on  Creation,         -  61 

Rich  and  Poor  in  Heaven,     -  6j 

Infants  in  HeaveD,   6j 

Paradise  Lost  and  Regained,        ...  61 

Departing  Spirits,        -----  6l 

Caterpillars  and  the  Gooseberry  Bush,  -  6l 

Joys  of  Heaven,   61 

Jacob's  Ladder,    ------  6j 

Spiritual  Sun,   61 

Sermon  on  the  Trinity,        -  61 

Parables  Explained,  (nine  parts)  -       -  50 

The  Second  Advent,  a  poem,       -  6l 

Eulogium  upon  Swedenborg,  -  -  -  12$ 
A  Summary  View  of  the  Doctrines  of  the  New 

Jerusalem,        ------  37J 

The  Two  Sisters,   61 

Remarks  on  the  Holy  League,      -       -       -  57$ 

Three  Sermons,  by  J.  Proud,  25 

Religion  and  Philosophy  united,  -       -  37$ 


The  foregoing  Rooks  are  now  for  sale,  by  the  sub- 
scriber. Orders  for  such  as  may  not  be  on  hand  will 
be  executed  as  early  as  importations  can  be  effected. 
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at  the  lowest  cash  prices,  that  will  enable  the  society 
to  defray  the  expenses  of  importation  and  sale. 

DANIEL  THUUN,  Agent. 
JVo.  12,  South  Sixth  street,  Philadelphia. 


